Phantom block included in visuals showing scale of Qajjenza development

Developer Paul Attard has presented a set of visuals showing how the massive residential development proposed on the 23,000sq.m site of the de-commissioned Qajjenza gas filling plant will impact its surroundings.

The visuals presented by Plan Limited, a company owned by Attard, show a development consisting of six blocks with a height of between 22m and 35.5m.

But Birżebbuġa residents who viewed the renders of the proposed development on the Planning Authority’s website, were surprised to learn that existing sea front dwellings could be replaced by a massive sea front block. The massive seafront block depicted in the visuals is not part of the gas site, prompting fears that the Qajjenza development is set to take up the entire sea front.

It turns out that the front block on the left-hand side of the development, on land which belongs to third parties, was included “merely to show the potential height” of residential blocks which can be allowed in this area according to existing policies and thus ensure a “more precise visual interpretation”, project architect Stephan Vancell told MaltaToday.

In this way rather than showing the visual impact of the new development on the existing situation, the renders are showing the visual impact of the new development in a hypothetical scenario in which all owners in the area opt to sell their properties for a comprehensive and uniform development.

The project’s architect also made it clear that the site configuration of the project has not changed from the original one and is still limited to the decommissioned site.

In fact, no planning applications have been presented to transform the entire row of dwellings along the waterfront.  But owners can individually apply to knock down existing houses according to the present height limitation.

The local plan limits the height of dwellings along the Qajjenza coastline to four floors, but this height is translated to 22m in more recent policies.

The visual renders show a sea front block rising to six floors, one of which receded.  Most of the existing sea front buildings rise up to four floors.

The renders also replace a row of inland 3 floor buildings along Triq l-Ghannej  which will be directly touching on the proposed development replaced by five storey blocks.

On the other hand, the zoning application seeks to change the local plan which limits development in the area to between three and four floors and reserves a significant part of the decommissioned Enemalta site for the development of a boat yard.

The renders also include the concrete canopy, built in reinforced concrete and in a modernist style, which is being retained in plans of the new development.

Nearly 400 residents and the local council have objected to the development of the site for residential development, and want it retained either as a green open space or for community and recreational facilities.

Over two-thirds of the land covered by the planning control application presented by Paul Attard’s Plan Limited is owned either by the government company Enemalta or the Lands Authority.   

During the recent electoral campaign Prime Minister Robert Abela had taken a commitment that “whatever land is under the government’s control... that land will only be used for the benefit of the community.”

Attard presents application on northern part of site

In the meantime, Paul Attard has already presented a planning application for the development of two apartment blocks on the northern part of the site covered by the zoning application.    

This application can only be approved after a decision is taken on the zoning application covering the entire 23,000sq.m site.

The application on 7,870sq.m of land was presented on the part of the site which is not owned by Enemalta or the government.  In the application Attard declared that he has the consent of the owner of the site to carry forward the application.

Plans foresee the excavation of an underground parking and the erection of two 29-meter high (9 storey) blocks, one consisting of 108 apartments and another of 96 apartments.   

This application was presented concurrently with the zoning application in May 2023 but was only published on the Planning Authority’s website in the past days.