The Planning Authority has turned down an application to mount tables and chairs outside a guesthouse in Sliema.
The application was for a platform with railings to be built over two parking spaces in front of the establishment in Amery Street.
The proposal attracted several objections from the public as well as NGOs Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar and Din l-Art Ħelwa, pointing out that the area was primarily residential and there are no similar commitments in the vicinity.
Approving the permit would encroach onto public space and allow commercial activities to crawl into a residential area, they argued.
Approving this application would have set a precedent for even more cafes to open in the area- Astrid Vella
The Sliema Local council and Transport Malta also objected to the application on grounds that the platform would create a safety and visibility issue for pedestrians.
The PA’s case officer recommended the project for refusal.
The site has seen some drastic changes in recent years. It was previously a tenement of two-storey houses. In 2016, a planning application was approved to demolish the building and replace it with a three-storey townhouse.
In 2019, applicant Doris Borg filed a new application seeking to change the use of the building from a private residence into a guesthouse, with minor alterations to facilitate the transition.
Last year, Borg filed another application to turn a ground-floor guest room into a breakfast and lounge area, also approved by the Planning Authority.
FAA coordinator Astrid Vella said the NGO had strongly objected to the latest application due to the disturbance that the outdoor catering area would have on the surrounding residences. Commercial activity could not be allowed to continue eating up residential spaces, she said.
“While the applicant argued that the financial viability of the guesthouse depended on the outdoor catering area, respectfully, this should have been taken into consideration before part of the property was converted into a cafe,” Vella said.
“Financial stability cannot come at the expense of the peace of mind of residents who would have had to put up with all the disturbances generated by running a cafe.
“Approving this application would have set a precedent for even more cafes to open in the area,” she added.