The Planning Authority’s (PA) executive board has unanimously rejected a proposal to build four-storey apartment blocks in Qawra’s coastal bungalow zone.
A decision was supposed to be taken in March, however 280 Qawra residents filed a request with the courts for an injunction, through their lawyer Ian Stafrace. The courts ruled that the PA was to take a decision on the project however, which led to today’s executive board meeting.
The proposal included plans to change height restrictions on a site measuring 8,000 square-metres on the Qawra seafront. This would mean that the area’s maximum built up coverage of the low-density site would be increased by 50 per cent.
A total of 11 detached one-story bungalows are included in the site, which lies just past the Dolmen Hotel. In contrast to the resident’s objections, nine out of the 11 bungalow owners showed support for the proposed changes.
Residents argued that the site once belonged to a single owner, who purposely imposed restrictive conditions on each contract of transfer in order to maintain the site so that it is in line with the holistic master plan for the area.
A negative impact on the aesthetics of the area as well as the quality of life for nearby residents were among the reasons cited for objections to the proposal.
Ammorin Ltd, the company behind the planning application, argued that the alterations are in fact in line with the local policy plan (NWSP11), in view of the fact that over the years existing blocks have already “seriously compromised” the area’s original landscape. Residents countered this by stressing that any developments which took place over the years have all respected the original height and site coverage restrictions.
In their closing arguments, residents also said that the stated aims of the local plan are not being respected, such as enhancing the urban environment, protecting the amenity of existing residents and improving public spaces.
“If the change in the scheme is approved... it would block the existing panoramic and sea views, greatly reducing the market value of the [existing] residential units,” residents wrote in their objection to the PA.