Baia beach club set to get rooftop seating area

Al fresco diners in a proposed rooftop seating area on top of the Baia beach club lido  will not be getting any shade after the owners had to drop plans for a 7 meter high tented structure covering the dining area.

The tented structure was dropped from the plans after the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage had objected to “visual clutter” in the vicinity of the Torri tal-Armier Redoubt which is adjacent to the lido.

But following these changes the proposals, consisting of an unsheltered 120 sq.m rooftop seating area and the sanctioning of an adjacent sunbed area, have gained the endorsement of the Planning Directorate.

The SCH has not commented on the latest plans which still envisage the erection of a  lift structure in the rooftop seating area.

The application also foresees the  sanctioning of the concrete platform used for sunbeds and the installation of timber decking over it.

The application was presented by restaurant owner Jonathan Mangion.

Originally known as the Beachcomber, the restaurant which is located on public land was granted an operating permit in 1977 but no permit was issued for the erection of the concrete platform which protects the property from storms and on which sun beds are  placed.

Back in 1999 the PA had turned down an application to turn the  concrete platform in front of the establishment into a sunbed area as this was deemed to be against policies securing public access to the coastline.

But this decision was reversed two years later by an appeals tribunal on condition that the first 4.5m from the shoreline are not obstructed by any structure and that the government retains the right to remove the structure in any future project to rehabilitate the beach.

The concrete platform which had  been steeped down towards the shore line, creating areas to place sunbeds still deviated from plans approved in 2011, and the present application is also meant to sanction deviations from these plans.

A final decision on the case will be taken by the Planning Authority on 16 June.