Gozo: ‘Transitional zones’ invading land outside development zones

A planning policy approved in 2015 is offering developers a window of opportunity by allowing owners of sites located adjacent to the development zones, to create a so-called ‘transitional zone’.

Instead of outrightly turning down an application to build a new residential block outside development zones proposed by Euchar Vella’s Karkanja Property Development, the Planning Authority’s planning commission wants the developers to present new plans to reduce the scale of the development proposed.

As proposed, the application foresees 10 residential units, a penthouse, a shop, a pool, and a basement on 320sq.m adjacent to a blank party wall along Triq Papa Gwanni Pawlu II in Rabat, Gozo.

The site is zoned by the local plan as part of a Strategic Open Space gap, which is governed by a policy that forbids the PA from permitting “any urban development in designated Strategic Open Space Gaps except for essential small-scale utility infrastructure.”

The PA’s case officer acknowledged that the proposed development would be in breach of the local plan designation, but concluded that the development should not be judged according to these criteria but according to the 2015 Design Guidelines, which include a clause applicable to sites on the edge of the development zones.

In this case the case officer said the new development could mitigate against the existing blank party walls by creating a transition between the development zone and the ODZ (outside development zones).

Still, the case officer recommended refusal because the development would be excessive in height, massing and volume and failed to provide “an adequate transition solution” between the building in the development zone and the ODZ land. The case officer also objected because the proposed dwellings at basement level are in breach of policies that forbid dwellings located beneath street level.

The PA’s planning commission has now asked the developers to present new plans to address these concerns and postponed the decision to 3 December.

The Environment and Resources Authority is objecting to the development, insisting that it will result in the urban sprawl of built structures beyond the allocated development zone and will result in the take up of rural land. “Such urban-type developments should be restricted to areas where such land use has already been established so as to control and reduce the proliferation of unjustified land use ODZ.”

It also warned that the approval of this development would set a precedent for possible future similar urban expansion beyond the development boundary.

What the policy says

The development of existing edge plots located outside the development zone is deemed to be acceptable in principle but the Authority has to ensure a suitable transition between the sites within the development zone and the ODZ. The development must be located adjacent to an existing blank party wall. The depth of the edge plot cannot exceed the length of such party wall. The development must be stepped such that the height of development immediately adjacent to the ODZ will not be higher than 8.5metres measured externally. It will subsequently be stepped until it reaches the height established for the rest of the development zone. Buildings on such sites must have “a high architectural design quality”.