Application seeks to transform Marsalforn into a high-rise area

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) has denounced a planning application to increase the height of apartment blocks to 11-12 floors in a PA-blessed attempt to transform Marsalforn into a high-rise area.

The Floor Area Ration (FAR) high-rise policy states that tall buildings go against Gozo’s character and should not even be considered. But application PA 2610/15  for amended plans would create a heavy-density development that would completely change the fabric of the small village. 

“This unsafe, dust-generating project has been abusive for years, narrowing Ta’ Barda Road and building whole floors on part of the site without permits,” FAA said.

“In spite of all this, the authorities have ignored resident’s pleas for enforcement against this abuse for 12 years.  It comes as no surprise that the Planning Authority has ignored calls for a shadow survey to examine this tall building’s blocking of neighbours’ natural light, as well as studies of the wind effect on surrounding streets.”

FAA said that the developers have not submitted the required photomontages to assess the impact on the landscape, nor studied the social and environmental impacts that such a development would have on its surroundings.

The case officer report states that “the proposed catering uses within the proposal are the same as those which were previously approved in PA 7243/05 and therefore acceptable in principle”. The FAA said that this ignored the fact that events on the proposed rooftop terrace restaurant will create far more noise pollution than the previous ground-floor restaurant. 

In his report, the Planning Authority case officer admits that “the height limitation affecting the site is four (4) floors”. 

“However in justifying the additional 11th floor through old permits approved through the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) Policy, he is conveniently overlooking the fact that DC 2000 policy only allowed 10 floors, not 11… let alone 12 floors.”

The additional floors beyond the permissible 10 floors are precluded by the FAR 2014: “sites which are located in Gozo … will not be eligible”.

FAA questioned how the Planning Authority could claim that it satisfied SPED, when the same guidelines stipulates that developments in Gozo should "protect the distinctiveness of Gozo's settlements, cultural and natural environment?"

It also said that the application went against the SPED’s recommendation “to ensure that all new developments provide a sense of place, respond to the local character, improve amenity and the pleasantness of place and ensure safety”.

“If approved, this will not only open the door to other high-rise developments that will change the appearance and quality of life of Marsalforn, but will establish this as a stratagem to bypass full processing,” FAA said.

It called on the authorities to refuse the application, as was done in the case of Ħondoq ir-Rummien. It said that the application should not be considered as an amendment, but as a new application on its own.

FAA argued that the case officer report was rife with misrepresentations in order to justify this abusive application: “The Planning Authority is operating without a conscience, morality or regard for the truth.”