A proposed planning application to build a hotel in Milner Street, Sliema must not be granted as it will engulf the remains of the besieged locality’s residential zone, eNGO Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar has said.
The low-lying property is set to be turned into a 13-storey hotel with 56 rooms. Construction magnates Bonnici Brothers are listed as the applicants, with Chris Cachia as the architect.
Gathered beneath the property on Saturday, activists said that the Planning Authority had been “seized by corruption” and granting applications such as this was tangible proof of it.
While the PA website lists the planning application (PA 07902/20) status as "awaiting decision", FAA coordinator Astrid Vella said that in reality, the Planning Commission has insisted on approving it and had not yet done so due to a "technicality".
This would happen "despite the fact that the case office recommended the permit for refusal, citing a number of policies it would go against," Vella said.
PA approval is expected to be formalised on January 14, she said.
An elevation drawing submitted by the application, showing the existing and proposed elevation. Photo: PA'PA corruption leaves you speechless'
Vella highlighted the narrow nature of Milner street, a residential area, and said that planning policy required buildings such as the 13-storey hotel being proposed to be located in commercial areas.
A similar permit in the area had been revoked for that same reason, she said.
“Why are policies in place if we don’t intend to respect them, to take people for a ride?” she said. “The PA has always been a well of corruption but these past few years we have been seeing things that leave you speechless," Vella added.
Sliema local councilor Paul Radmilli said that what was happening with this application was a textbook case of how the PA took cases that are clearly not permissible according to planning law and found workarounds to grant the permit.
The Milner Street property that is to be turned into a 13-storey hotel. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier“When you make exceptions to established rules these must be interpreted in the most restricted way possible,” he said.
“If in order to build a hotel you must also ensure that you provide parking and must not create blank party walls, then these must be respected and cannot simply be ignored.”
“And it’s not just about us, if we get it wrong in Sliema, we get it wrong everywhere. The interpretation of that policy will be used all over the island.”
Radmilli said it was time to introduce clear rules on lobbying and harmonise planning policy to reduce the arbitrary way in which policy can be interpreted.
He also said that the PA needed to respect and advocate for the rights of third parties and not wave away concerns by telling them they always have the right to seek redress in court.