Planning Authority approves more development at Danish village

The Planning Authority has approved six new “building services” areas in the Danish Village complex of Mellieha, despite clear commitments in a previous permit that only the existing infrastructure will be used to cater for the enlarged tourist village.

The controversial 30-bungalow extension, opposed by environmental NGOs, was approved in 2007 with a full permit issued in 2016.  

The new service buildings are required for the heating and cooling of these bungalows.  

The applicant suggests that locating the services on the rooftops of the bungalows or in one single plant would have had a more negative impact on aesthetics.

But the PA’s case officer’s report for the latest extension reveals that throughout the processing of the application approved in 2016, the architect was asked to indicate the proposed location of the services on the proposed plans, to ensure they do not get located on the roof of the buildings and be visible from public areas.

“The architect [said] the existing infrastructure will be used and as is the case with the existing bungalows, no services will be located at roof level,” the case officer said.

A condition was imposed to ensure that no services are to be located on the roof of the building and that any services within the complex shall not be visible from private and public open spaces.

But after the permit was approved, the applicant proposed six new service clusters of some 29 sq.m in area, going as high as 3.5m, which will be screened with wooden louvers.

The PA’s case officer objected to the latest extension, noting that the structures involve an additional land take-up inside an area where various efforts to limit development have been considered. Approval may also lead to the erection of further service units for the other existing units.

But the PA’s planning commission overruled the case officer, saying the services buildings were being proposed in an area already committed for development due to the approval of bungalows. The Environment and Resources Authority did not object to the latest extension.