A large residential development in Gozo’s capital Victoria is about to get even bigger after the Planning Authority on Thursday approved the building of an additional 35 units, bringing the total to 167.

Mark Agius, a business partner of Gozitan property magnate Joseph Portelli, was granted permission to extend his Ħal Gelmus project on land previously occupied by the Magro Brothers tomato processing plant in Victoria.

The PA Board approved, by seven votes to one, the addition of 50 garages, 35 residences, roof-level pools for penthouses, three commercial units and a gymnasium for the complex. Since the new development will result in a shortfall of four parking spaces, the PA imposed a contribution of €17,000 towards the Planning Authority’s Urban Improvements Fund for the locality.

The original permit for the project was granted to Excel Investments Limited just three days before the last general election in March 2022.

A month later, through his architect Maria Schembri Grima, who was previously the chairperson of the government’s Building and Construction Authority, Agius applied to expand the development and transform units into shops.

The almost 6,500 square-metre site lies on Triq il-Wied and Triq Pawlu Portelli in Victoria, within the development boundary. Most of the project has already been built.

The previous ex-Magro Brothers factory was demolished, while the adjacent two-storey old building was retained.

The case officer concluded in his report that with the increase and the proposed residential, commercial and leisure development were acceptable since they complied with the specific policies and were also in line with the height limitation on both streets.

The building will impact views from the Citadel

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage objected to the proposed extension of the project, noting that the previous application was approved despite its strong reservations regarding the building mass and its impact on views from the Ċittadella.

This extension would increase the massing and volumes of the approved development, further encroaching upon the Urban Conservation Area, further engulfing a series of vernacular buildings and potentially exacerbating the negative impact on views from the Ċittadella, it said as it expressed its “strong reservations”.

The SCH  said that the proposed development should include adequate terracing away from the vernacular buildings and the urban conservation area in an adequate transition that does not visually dominate the buildings.

Despite these warnings and other objections, including from Din l-Art Ħelwa, the case officer recommended the project for approval.

The board accepted this recommendation, with only NGO representative Romano Cassar, voting against.