Mosta hotel to encroach on protected ‘green enclave’

The Planning Authority has approved a four-storey hotel along Triq il-Kbira in Mosta, whose pool area will encroach on a protected ‘green enclave’ in the vicinity of the Mosta Dome.

The yard of the existing townhouse, which includes a number of trees already visible in 1967 photos, forms part of a large“green enclave” which includes the Villa Gollcher gardens, which are not impacted by the hotel development.

The case officer had recommended the refusal of the application because the local plan excludes development in green enclaves, but the PA’s planning commission later indicated that the development can be approved if fresh drawings are presented to leave the “rubble wall in the garden, and to increase the soft landscaping”.

The area shaded in green is zoned as Mosta’s green enclave

Reacting to the latest plans, which foresee 11 trees being planted in this area, the case officer noted that part of the rubble wall will still be demolished and that only 37sq.m of the existing 135sq.m site will be retained as a landscaped area, exceeding policy guidelines which limit any encroachment to 15% of the site area.

But the commission still approved the development, citing the context of the development.

The approved boutique hotel, proposed by Marlon Brincat, will have 25 guest rooms and a restaurant which will have a separate entrance from the guesthouse.

The boutique hotel will include a lobby, entertainment area and pool at ground floor level and accommodation at first, second and third level while a bar will be located on receded floor level. The existing façade will be restored and retained.

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage did not object to the internal demolition of the existing building.

The height of the proposed development was deemed to be compatible with that of adjacent developments with the hotel filling a gap between existing blank walls of adjacent houses.