The Planning Authority Board has unanimously approved the extension of three floors and one receded floor, among other changes, this morning.

The proposed development involves the construction of three full floors and one receded floor over a currently existing building, the development of a garden over one tennis court, the construction of a tennis court on the camel pit, the development of a spa at lobby level losing four rooms, and the screening of the void over the technical yard with a garden. The development will see the construction of 33 suites and 21 standard rooms.

The case officer recommended the project for approval, and quoted several planning policies.

Photomontage of the project

The planning directorate this morning remarked that the extra floors would be considerably lower than the backdrop of the existing hotel. There were no objections from the Design Advisory Committee or the Environment and Resources Authority.

Din l-Art Helwa (DLH) raised its concerns regarding the application. DLH is of the opinion that the proposed extension defies the original terraced approach of the hotel massing, so as to ensure that the building gradually slopes down to the foreshore. “The extension not only blanks out the rest of the hotel behind it, but creates a wall of buildings onto St. George’s Bay, with no terraced to soften the vertical volume”

Commenting on the building height, the case officer’s report read: “the proposed development involves the construction of three full floors and one receded floor above the building height of the existing suites which are considerably lower than the visible backdrop of the existing hotel which rises approximately three to four floors above the proposed. 

PN MP Ryan Callus asked how access to the foreshore will be retained. In response, representatives from the Westin said that the current access will not be further restricted, however the issue of the historical wall left by the British which restricts certain access is yet to be solved.