Mepa approves Cavalieri Hotel redevelopment

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority yesterday approved the full development application for the upgrading of the Cavalieri Hotel, in St Julians, including the building of two additional floors.

This decision, subject to conditions, went against the recommendation by the authority's own Planning Directorate for the board to refuse the permit.

The board said it had based its decision on the tourism policies and objectives within the Structure Plan and the particular context of the application.

An outline permit had already been issued for alterations, extensions and refurbishment of the hotel.

The proposal approved yesterday was for the building of an additional two floors, for a total of eight floors above Spinola Road.

The hotel will have 229 bedrooms including 30 large suites. It is to accommodate cruise liner passengers who will fly to Malta to start their cruises from here. Furnishings will match those on cruise liners operated by Saga, which will provide most of the guests.

The Planning Directorate had argued that the height of the proposed building exceeded the maximum height limitation for Spinola Road.

The proposal, the directorate said, also failed to provide the required car parking spaces and it ran counter to the Structure Plan policy which required that access around the coastline immediately adjacent to the sea would be assured.

Both Nationalist MP Helen d'Amato and Labour MP Joe Brincat, who are both members of the board, pointed out that that despite the directorate's recommendation, the permit should still be approved because it was introducing a new concept in tourism and was in the national interest.

The conditions imposed on the developer include the payment of a contribution towards the Commuted Parking Payment Scheme equal to the amount of new car parking spaces generated by the proposed extension, in accordance with the approved rates set out by Mepa.

The developer also has to pay a planning contribution of Lm25,000 towards the embellishment of the area. The funds shall be administered by Mepa in consultation with the local council.

The applicant also had to submit a bank guarantee of Lm20,000 to ensure adherence with the conditions set out in the development permit. The money will be released upon the issuing of the final compliance certificate by Mepa.

The developer also had to submit plans indicating public access to the foreshore.