The currently derelict Metropole Hotel in Sliema, built in the 1960s, is to be pulled down to make way for a more contemporary looking residential and commercial building.
The decision was given during the Malta Environment and Planning Authority board meeting yesterday morning. Both the developers, the Satariano family, and Mepa’s case officers made their submissions during the meeting.
Located on a block on Dun Karm Galea Street corner with Sir Adrian Dingli Street and Ġorġ Borg Street, the proposed building is organised on six floors, plus four basement levels and overlying penthouse one storey less than the current building, Architect Edwin Mintoff explained.
Dr Mintoff added that the plans include the demolition of the existing hotel and the construction of an underground parking area, a commercial space at ground floor, five storeys of apartments and overlying penthouses comprising 32 housing units of various sizes. The façade of an adjacent two-storey town house, on Dun Karm Galea Street will not be demolished but rather, blended in with the rest of the development. The rest of the hotel, however, has no architectural value.
The proposed design of the elevations includes various traditional elements such as timber balconies and open wrought iron balconies for the first two floors, which also includes the amalgamation of the two-storey townhouse façade. The upper four floors will include a more contemporary design with wider openings, some of which include a loggia-like appearance and French windows. Next to the French windows a column of timber louvres will be included. The ground floor will be cladded in hard stone.
Mepa’s case officer argued that the proposed development is acceptable since both the demolition and the proposal comply with the height limitation, car parking requirements, design considerations, and Structure Plan and Local Plan Policies.
While there are no archaeological constraints in the area, a World War II shelter lies beneath Dingli Circus, in the vicinity of the site. After consultation with the Heritage Planning Unit and the Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee, there has been no objection to the proposed excavation works, provided that a five-metre buffer zone is retained from the shelter, so as not to damage it.
The entrance to the parking area will be on Ġorġ Borg Street, which according to Dr Mintoff, is the least busy of the three. The proposed development requires a total of 62 parking spaces, however, the basement parking area includes a total of 90 parking spaces. The site in question lies in one of the busiest areas of Sliema, surrounded by many apartment blocks, and in close proximity to Għar id-Dud, which is subject to heavy congestion and parking problems.
The proposed additional parking spaces will therefore help ease the on-street parking problem in the area, and thus was favourably recommended.
Through consultation with Transport Malta, it was indicated that the vehicular access into the site should be 4.1m, in order to enable two cars to pass each other, however, TM revised its position and stated that a smaller opening will be permitted in view of design considerations which include a waiting area inside the proposed building.