One of the owners of a car hire company accused of countless deceptive practices and who is currently fighting an eviction battle with Malta International Airport wants to build a massive new complex for the building slap bang in the middle of residential Gudja.

Gerald Camilleri, one of the owners of Smart Car Rentals, is behind a planning application to convert two garages on the narrow Triq San Pawl into a large complex to accommodate his car hire business.

The project would require extensive excavation to build three subterranean garage levels as shown in the plans. The drawings indicate that, apart from some office space on the ground floor, Camilleri is also planning to build an additional four floors set to be converted into apartments.

Plans for the development show that Gerald Camilleri plans to excavate three storeys underground and raise a five-floor office and apartment block above it. Photo via Planning Authority

Residents up in arms

Residents appear to be largely against the development, with the planning application receiving 122 objections, voicing concern about the project and opining that it is inappropriate to locate a commercial project within a street characterised by residences.

Triq San Pawl is located in close proximity to the airport and residents say they already feel pressured by travellers who leave their cars parked there for days or weeks on end while they are overseas. The presence of a car-hire company on the street, they fear, would lead to this problem growing exponentially.

Many also pointed to the design of the project itself as a cause for concern, with many objectors expressing fears of having to live close to a site that is excavating three floors underground.

Others also said that the proposed five-floor building above ground is inappropriate in the area, which still enjoys the character of the village core. Some said the large blank party wall the building would create would be a huge eyesore.

Nationalist MP Mark Anthony Sammut pointed out in his objection that the site of the project directly abuts the village’s urban conservation area (UCA) and, as such, the designs do not allow for an appropriate transition into the UCA, due to the height and density of the proposed building.

Sammut said the building height must be reduced, otherwise the project would “scar and dominate the traditional streetscape”.

The Gudja local council has also objected to the application, citing, among other things, the zoning of the area, the building height and the unmet parking requirements.

The Planning Authority’s case officer has recommended that the application be refused, saying the proposal goes against planning policies that aim to protect the character of urban areas and that it will give rise to “unacceptable” additional on-street parking.

The PA board was set to decide on the application on July 30, but decided to defer the application again to allow the architect to submit further changes. 

The architect was asked to submit fresh drawings and "consider" reducing the footprint of the upper apramorta and adding a further setback to the 3rd and 4th floors. 

The decision has been deferred to September 3. 

Ongoing eviction battle

Times of Malta reported in January that Smart Car Rentals offered ludicrously low prices for car rentals that severely undercut the rest of the market.

However, it became clear that former clients of the company were far from pleased with their services, with many claiming that the low prices are a honey pot to lure people, only to burden them with absurdly high and unexpected hidden charges upon collection of the vehicle.

The company’s online presence is marred by overwhelmingly negative reviews from people who claim that the company withheld hefty depositions over damage that they were not responsible for. Others said there were attempts to intimidate them into paying for wear-and-tear issues such as clutch damage after driving the car only for a short while.

Malta International Airport told Times of Malta earlier this month it was taking legal action against the company, which operates from the airport, to have them evicted from Park East.

In legal filings seen by Times of Malta, the airport cited complaints of “abusive and potentially fraudulent behaviour” as the reason for terminating the lease.