A planning application to demolish a disused soft drinks factory in Qormi and construct flats instead is set to be decided on Thursday.

The proposal deals with the disused General Soft Drinks site on Triq l-Imdina, Triq il-Vitorja and Alexandra Street, Qormi. The application seeks to demolish existing buildings and construct apartments, garages for private use and showrooms/retail outlets.  The site occupies an area of approximately 7,100 sqm.

This full development application comes after a previous outline development permission application had approved the principle for the redevelopment of the disused factory into an internal residential development with a commercial frontage on Mdina Road.

The development will see the construction of 126 apartments and 29 penthouses, 235 one-car and 42 two-car garages, showroom space and 49 commercial parking spaces.

The case officer’s report reads that the frontage on Mdina Road includes two double-height showrooms and overlying apartments. “A dwelling block with dedicated access from Triq Alexandra is also included. The internal residential development is accessible from Triq il-Vitorja and formed by abutting the residential units to the back of the showrooms, the dwelling block over Triq Alexandra and other third party property. The site includes three basement parking levels, which will cater for the residential and commercial parking provision.”

“The factory was inaugurated in 1952 as a plant with frontage on Mdina Road surrounded by vacant land. Throughout the years, the plant spread to adjacent plots and the area developed into a commercial frontage with abutting terraced houses…The buildings to be demolished have been left derelict since 2008, when the company relocated to the Marsa Industrial Estate, and this residential redevelopment project is considered as a positive uplift in keeping with the modern developments in the area,” the case officer’s report reads.

The case officer has recommended that the project be approved.