The Planning Authority has given its blessing to a massive 11-storey hotel in a narrow residential street in Sliema, despite the significant negative impacts on residents in terms of disturbance and traffic.
The application for the 82-suite hotel in Howard Street was originally recommended for refusal but was overturned at the hearing on Thursday after the signing of an agreement that the development in question will be used exclusively as a hotel.
This had been one of the main concerns expressed by objectors, including Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar, which said developers could be exploiting a Malta Tourism Authority policy that allows "high-quality" hotels to rise higher than apartment blocks. FAA had said the building could subsequently be converted to flats two floors higher than what is normally allowed.
Resident argued the hotel is hemmed in by residential buildings on all sides, and that the blank party walls it will create are not permissible under the MTA policy. The architect's attempt to add fake windows on the blank party wall did not make them acceptable, the residents said.
The applicant, Josef Dimech on behalf of J & J Holdings, was bound by a bank guarantee and was ordered to pay over €25,000 to the Commuted Parking Payment Scheme to make up for the shortfall of parking spaces on site.
FAA coordinator Astrid Vella insisted the proposal runs counter to the PA policy which allows the additional height of only two floors over and above the five-storey height limitation permitted in the local plan, provided that "the resultant design features a high-quality product in keeping with the urban context and no blank walls are created".
Regarding the blank party walls, the case officer had stated that “the treatment to the blank party walls will not effectively mitigate the appearance of the resultant exposed blank party walls and will negatively impact on the site's broader context. In this regard, the proposal also conflicts with the SPED which aims to ensure that all new developments improve amenity and the pleasantness of place”.
After the meeting, Ms Vella condemned the approval of the permit, saying it was especially reprehensible in the light of the PA case officer’s recommendation to refuse the permit.
She said Environment Planning Commission chairman Simon Saliba ignored these arguments. He even ignored the fact the hotel will have rooms overlooking shafts which is a far cry from a "quality hotel".
“In spite of all this, the chairman was, from the outset, clearly determined to grant the permit in spite of the fact that it does not meet with several of the Planning Authorities policies, including that since the hotel will only be providing 15 out of 28 required car spaces, and no unloading bays, it would
create an environment which goes diametrically against the thrust of the local plan policy,” she said.
Sliema residents said they were “disgusted” at the outcome of the hearing which the chairman justified on the grounds of “previous commitments”.
“Since the other hotels date back to before the local plans, this signifies a total ditching of any form of planning, and a return to the free-for-all days under Lorry Sant," she said.