The Planning Board today approved an application that would see Blackley Bakery restored, and used as office space, as well as two other buildings used for residential use, despite certain issues being raised regarding overdevelopment and parking considerations.
The application is for the restoration and rehabilitation of Blackley Bakery (a Schedule 2 building); and to change its use from that of a bakery to offices. It also seeks the retention and restoration of facades of Kingston House (Schedule 2 building) and workers dwellings (Schedule 3 building) in Blackley Street, the demolition of interior of dwellings, and the construction of apartments and underlying garages. Part of the project includes the construction of a receded floor, which resulted in certain objections. The site is on Triq Blackley, Pieta.
Describing the project, the applicant’s architect, Elena Borg Costanzi, explained that the application seeks approval for the regeneration of the whole of Blackley’s buildings. “This application seeks to bring it back to its original glory. It stands on four roads. Kingston House was the home of the family who used to run it, and our intention is to bring the home and the bakery back to what it used to be.”
None of the buildings are currently used, she said, adding that there was an emergency conservation order on the bakery, “which is the first thing we took care of.”
The bakery has high walls and huge windows, which allows more light. A lot of machinery which was restored, was embedded into the structure. “
“The third floor of the bakery was in a dangerous state, so we removed the dangerous structures and closed up some inner façade apertures to consolidate the building. “
“Our proposal is to keep the residential part as residential, and use the commercial part for offices. We want to keep Kingstone house distinct from the development, as separate with its own entrance split into eight units and the workers dwelling as distinct flats.”
Speaking with the Malta Independent, she explained that the bakery will see a third floor extension, while the Kingstone House and the worker’s dwellings will see a third floor and a recessed floor added.
The Planning Directorate representative said that the 1,080 sqm of Blackley Bakery will be used as offices.
The application includes the construction of an open parking area at basement level, the change of use to offices, the construction of a receded floor overlying the proposed offices. It also includes the retention and restoration of Kington House and Workers’ Dwellings, which however, would include internal demolition to accommodate 7 apartments (ground floor) + 6 apartments (1st floor). It would also result in the construction of six apartments at second floor level overlying Kington House/Workers’ Dwellings and a further 6 apartments at the uppermost receded level.
The planning directorate recommended the project for approval, subject to a number of conditions, including the conservation of the machinery, as well as a bank guarantee.
A resident who lives opposite the workers dwellings objected on the idea of receded floors. “You can’t say it won’t have a detrimental effect.”
“Let's say we agree to bringing up one floor to level the street, fine, but don’t add one more on top of that,” he said.
The Planning Directorate representative said that other residents on the street can add on a receding floor. The resident however argued that this was an insult to everyone’s intelligence, and that he bought a townhouse and refurbished it with his own money, believing he had certain guarantees on the area. “This will create a precedent to end village cores, if you end up adding floor above floor, even if they are receded.”
Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar representative Astrid Vella said they do not have an objection to the re-use of the space, but are concerned with the destruction of the old worker’s accommodation and see the penthouse level as excessive. “This re-use of heritage buildings has to be sensitive. It is a schedule building. Let us not mutilate or impinge on the quality of life of the area, as heritage buildings are normally in the heart of the village, making redevelopment doubly sensitive”.
A PA Board member, Annick Bonello – who represents the NGOs - highlighted the parking issues in the area. The member highlighted the 25 car space shortfall (which ended up being disputed during the debate) in the application. She struck out at the use of the building for financial gain, and extensive use of it. She also said that it is excessive giving the developers a penthouse. “Seeing things on their own without taking the whole area into consideration, with regards to parking, I cannot understand.”
She objected on the grounds of over-development and the traffic issue.
Chairman Vince Cassar also voted against, on the basis of overdevelopment in a Grade 2 building, however the rest of the board, including the ERA representative, voted in favour of the application.