An application by the Panorama Hotel for the building of an additional three floors may not fall within the Height Limitation Adjustment Policy for Hotels, Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg indicated in Parliament on Tuesday.

Times of Malta revealed on November 27 that an application had been submitted for the hotel, which sits at the top of Mellieħa ridge, to rise to eight floors. 

The news drew many complaints on social media because of the visual impact which the development would have.

Replying to a question by Nationalist MP Robert Cutajar, the minister said the development application process was still in its early stages and the Planning Directorate of the Planning Authority would have to study the application in detail once the period for submissions by interested parties was over.

A second consultation phase may also be necessary and the directorate would then submit its report to the Planning Commission.

It was therefore premature for the Planning Authority to pronounce itself on the application.

However, without prejudice to the ultimate decision, the directorate in a preliminary assessment found that the application was not in line with the height limitation policy for hotels approved in June 2014 since the property was at the limit of the development zone, adjacent to a rural area and not in a tourist zone. Furthermore, the site sat at the edge of Mellieħa ridge.

Therefore, even at this early stage, it appeared clear that this hotel did not qualify under the policy to add more floors beyond what was laid down in the local plan, the minister said.