Updated 5.45pm with Residenti Beltin statement
A Valletta café that has been operating as a restaurant without a permit had its application to operate as an eatery refused by the planning authority on Wednesday.
Gourmet Kafe, located in a residential area on Old Theatre Street, has been illegally operating as a restaurant since 2023.
Alberto Centomo applied to change his café into a restaurant in 2022, however, the application was rejected in June 2023 by the PA which said a restaurant went against the local plan of this residential area.
The applicant ignored the PA’s decision and turned his café into a restaurant, placing chairs and tables outside on a narrow pavement. In August 2024, Centomo applied to sanction that.
Through a sanctioning application, an applicant asked the PA to grant permission for development that took place without a permit.
The controversial sanctioning application received 50 objections from residents. Among others, they said the illegal restaurant had led to increased noise and smells in the area, disrupting the lives of residents.
The residents also raised concern over the tables and chairs on the narrow pavement, saying the hazard forced residents to walk on the street.
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar's Astrid Vella emphasised that Valletta's UNESCO World Heritage Site status is dependent on it remaining a residential and working city. UNESCO has expressed concerns about that, she said, and every additional restaurant permit undermined Valletta's authenticity.
On Wednesday, the PA followed the case officer’s recommendation and unanimously voted to refuse that sanctioning application.
Chairperson of the Planning Commission board Martin Camilleri kept it very short.
He simply said the same board had previously voted against the planning application to turn this café into a restaurant, but the owner had ignored this decision and turned the place into a restaurant without a valid permit.
Residenti Beltin: Now remove outdoor furniture
In a statement later on Wednesday, resident activist group Residenti Beltin Valletta said they now expected the cafe to remove its outdoor tables and chairs.
They also noted that another pending PA permit for a bar in front of the Carmelite Church (PA/05974/23) was based on the fact that Kafe Gourmet was operating in the area. That permit should now be dropped, the group said.