The company behind plans for a massive mega-development in Villa Rosa say they're willing to reduce the height of the project in light of plans to review the local plan. 

The Villa Rosa site was back in the headlines this week after the government announced it is planning to revise local plans in the area that would enable the already massive project to grow even larger. 

What the Villa Rosa area looks like right now. Photo: ERA

What the Villa Rosa area will look like after the proposed project. Photo: ERA

In a statement on Thursday, Garnet Investments, Anton Camilleri's company that owns the Villa Rosa site, said that they welcome public discussion on updating the area's local plans. 

The revision process, they said, would be an important step towards balancing development plans with the needs of the community and the government's goals of promoting quality tourism expanding open spaces, and safeguarding the environment.

To this end, Garnet Investments said they would be willing to revise the project with certain commitments to ensure it can better serve the community. 

These include: 

• Reducing the height from the current proposed application and establishing the building heights so that no additional floors may be built in the future;
• Retaining the allowable gross floor area (GFA) under current policies;
• Creating a new public open space;
• Withdrawing any development in the current approved permit to protect environmentally sensitive areas and commit to rehabilitating and safeguarding these areas;
• Plant indigenous trees within the project;
• Bring luxury international hotel brands to the development;
• Introduce an internal road to eliminate loading traffic through St. George’s Bay;
• Provide sufficient parking;
• Invest in the necessary infrastructure to avoid placing additional strain on the existing systems.

 "We view this as an opportunity to come up with a new proposal to the Planning Authority and deliver an even better project—one that not only offers a superior tourism product but also provides meaningful benefits to the local community," they said. 

"We are willing to be part of a vision that aligns both with sustainable development and the broader aspirations for the area."

Camilleri, known as Tal-Franċiż, originally obtained a planning permit back in 2018 to develop the prime St George's Bay site into a combination of low-rise offices, residences and shops.

Before that development got underway, he submitted proposals to dramatically upsize the project, introducing a hotel and high-rise buildings. 

An Environmental Impact Assessment last year had already concluded that the planned mega-development of a 34-storey tower and two 27-storey ones overlooking St George’s Bay in St Julian’s would have major impacts on the environment and air quality, both during construction and operation. It found that the likely impacts of the development were “high”.

That proposal is still pending, with the Planning Authority yet to decide whether or not to issue a permit for it.

The PN has said that it is unacceptable to amend only part of the local plan of and that the entire plan should be revised holistically after proper studies. 

Activists have also asked the National Audit Office to investigate Economy Minister Silvio Schembri over potential irregularities in the land transfers approved while he was lands minister which have paved the way for the Villa Rosa development.