A large residential development in an unused quarry at Sgħajtar in Naxxar has been approved by the Planning Authority.

The 275-unit development filed by Charles Camilleri will include five seven-storey buildings and an underground carpark with 337 garages, 98 parking spaces, 18 reserved parking spaces, and 48 motorbike parking bays.

The site is surrounded by terraced houses and small apartment blocks on Triq Manwel Magri S.J., Triq it-Tin and Triq Censu Muskat.

The development is also subject to a planning gain — a contribution paid by developers — of €167,714, which will go to the PA's planning fund.

The application was approved with nine votes in favour and two against. The Naxxar Local Council and NGO representative Romano Cassar voted against the development.

The case officer had recommended the application for approval.

Image showing how the development will affect Naxxar's skyline. Photo: Planning Authority.

While the application was recommended for approval, the Superintendent for Cultural Heritage cited concerns about the negative effect that this development will have on Naxxar's skyline.

Meanwhile, Cassar raised concerns about the lack of a social impact assessment on such a large development that is surrounded by terraced houses and some small apartment blocks.

He also flagged concerns about the buttress walls that act as foundations for the surrounding buildings.

Some 80 representations were filed against the development with concerns raised about environmental degradation and sustainability.

The application, which was initially filed in 2009, follows an outline development permit that was granted in 2008.

As this was a development permission, the chairperson was Emmanuel Camilleri.

This is the first decision the PA has taken since Johann Buttigieg returned as the PA's CEO. Buttigieg stepped down from the role six years ago following a tenure plagued with controversy.