The Planning Authority board today approved a 138-room four-star hotel adjacent to the Bay Street complex in Paceville, despite indicating its intention to refuse the application in a sitting last December.

On 6 December last year, the board convened and chose to overturn the Case Officer’s recommendation to grant approval to the project, with seven board members out of the nine present indicating that they would like to refuse permission for the project. 

As is procedure when the board decides to go against the recommendation of the case officer, the final vote on the project was deferred to another date and the applicants were given the opportunity to make the necessary amendments in response to the reasons of refusal that the board indicates.

Indeed, the applicant presented revised plans which eliminated the placement of tables and chairs in the public square, whilst also introducing a baggage drop-off point at the side entrance.  Furthermore, plans for a games room were shelved so that vehicles such as taxis and mini-vans have more space to drop-off their passengers and are allowed more of a turning circle.

A reply from Transport Malta with regards to the project was also presented, wherein the transport agency said that the measures with regards to traffic were acceptable as long as a 1.3m footpath for pedestrians was added.

The applicant also argued that the infrastructural impact is not bigger than other projects in the area and that, whilst one of the reasons for refusal was the lack of a master plan, the project should be assessed in accordance with the currently existing local plan.  Furthermore, he added that the impact of the proposed development was the least onerous that it could, saying that comparisons with a residential development at Fort Cambridge found that in peak hours this development would in fact generate 34 less traffic movements.

One of the main reasons for refusal remained however that the area was designated as a residential buffer zone.  The applicant noted that the St. Rita Chapel, which falls within the site boundaries, was in and of itself a buffer zone.  This being said, the PA board member representing the St. Julian’s local council said that the project would merely be an extension to all the noise and problems that residents are already facing in the area.  To this, the applicant reiterated that the development was the least onerous that it could possibly be.

The PA board in the end voted seven members to four in favour of granting permission to the project.  Both the government’s and the opposition’s members voted in favour of the project.

The Background

The site is proposed to have six underground levels for parking, which will also house a gym, sauna and pool, and a conference room. It will also rise to 11 levels above ground, which includes the ground floor. In total, there will be 138 hotel rooms and 231 car parking spaces created as part of the development.

The site lies on the southern flank of St George’s Bay in Paceville, on the lower grounds at the front part of St Rita Chapel/St Augustine Convent which are Grade 2 scheduled buildings. It is bound on the back side with a blank party wall of the entertainment and cinema complex and on the other side by residential villas.

The application caused quite some controversy as the land belongs to a religious order; the Augustians.  Archbishop Charles Scicluna had asked the Church’s Environment Commission to look into the deal. The environment commission, in their report on 5 October, recommended that the plans be revisited because “the development is contrary to the Floor Area Ratio policy; The site is not amenable to the development of a tall building (i.e. a building higher than 10 floors. A twelve-storey façade overlooking Upper Triq Santu Wistin is excessive and badly impinges on nearby residents and users of the street. The proposed twelve-storey building is excessively close to the priory which is a scheduled Grade 2 building,” it had said.

The provincial of the Augustinian order meanwhile had defended the project; Fr Leslie Gatt had said that the income from the deal would help the order invest in its religious, social and educational efforts. He added that the money would also go towards the restoration and upkeep of several historic buildings owned by the order, which are part of the country’s heritage.

A separate application for the renovation of the chapel and convent was also indicated to be in the works at the time of December’s board meeting. The open space of the development is towards the residential area, while the development itself is on the side of the entertainment hub, the Planning Directorate’s representatives had said in December, whilst in terms of long-distance viewpoints, the Directorate had also highlighted that the proposal will not have any changes to the existing skyline.

The main reasons for which the board had indicated that it would refuse the project last December were for a lack of traffic arrangements, a large blank bordering wall, the lack of a master plan for the area, concerns for residents quality of life, and tables and chairs designated for the public space.