A planning application seeking permission to redevelop the existing Naxxar trade fair grounds car park into two medium-raise mixed use buildings, with underlying four interconnected basement levels goes before the PA board, Thursday.

The proposed development will include two separate buildings, one of 9 floors and a receded floor and another of 7 floors and a receded floor. The proposal includes the excavation of four basement levels including 356 parking spaces, 108 garages, a gym, spa with indoor pool and other related facilities. The proposal also includes a bar, childcare centre, shops and overlying 136 residential units.

The case officer’s report reads that the proposed two towers will reach a height of 31.70 and 25.45 meters above the highest pavement level respectively and will host commercial activities at level -1, -2 and 0 while the residential component of the scheme will rise from the first floor upwards.

In 2018 an application on the same site had been filed for a similar development with a different design, however it had been withdrawn by the applicant.

The existing site consists of a parking area which was previously used by the former Naxxar fair and, as per an approved Planning Control application, will be surrounded by Triq il-Markiz Giuseppe Scicluna and other three new streets. The site in question is 39 meters in linear distance from the Urban Conservation Area of Naxxar and the wider site context is characterized by a mixture of uses include agricultural, commercial, and residential with a recently approved building facing the southern part of the site, which links this new neighbourhood with the Urban Conservation area, the case officer’s report reads.

“The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage confirmed that the area is highly archaeologically sensitive being just 100 meters from recent archaeological discoveries. Furthermore, the Palazzo Parisio Garden is associated with a series of underground irrigation water galleries and tunnels which may fall within the site in question and the existence of cultural heritage remains within the site footprint cannot be excluded.”

Concerns regarding the buildings have been raised.

The Design Advisory Committee considered the proposed design and, “as per the previous application on site, is of the opinion that the proposed height and overall scale of the proposed building as a stand-alone design does not fit in the surrounding urban texture, particularly when considering its proximity to the UCA the visual impacts from distant views. Furthermore, the proposal might benefit from an improved overall design and improved solid-to-void ratio,” the case officer’s report read.

Development Management Directorate said that further to the above, the architect uploaded a visual impact assessment to state that the proposal has been tested from 17 different viewpoints. “The impact of the proposal from inside the garden of Palazzio Parisio has been considered barely noticeable considering also the existing trees. The other viewpoints vary from various points along Triq il-Markiz Giuseppe Scicluna and open spaces along the same route considering the most relevant views in relation to the site, plus other points as requested by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage. No further consultations with the DAC were carried out,” the report read.

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage noted that the massing of the development as proposed within this application has been relatively improved in relation to the previous application. “Nevertheless, the Superintendence and Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee (CHAC) expressed grave concern in regard to the height and volumes of the proposed structures, which are not only in close proximity to the UCA, but also remain highly visible from vantage points around the island, as evidenced by the photomontages. The proposed structure remains inappropriately massive at this elevated position, allowing itself to be conspicuously visible from significant viewpoints such as Mdina, competing even with large-scale significant monuments such as the Mosta Dome.”

The Superintendence said that the development as proposed will have a considerable visual impact as seen from a number of vantages points across the island, “including the significant viewpoint from Mdina, totally redefining views of the cityscapes of Mosta and Naxxar. The proposal will permanently and undeniably reconfigure the visual appearance of the most prominent urban centres of the central-north area, proposing a massive solid block which is not taking into consideration the traditional and established Maltese skyline.”

Following this, in order to further assess the impact of the proposed development on the village core, the architect was requested to submit additional photomontages from a number of viewpoints, which he did.

The Development Management Directorate said “it is clear that the proposed development will not be visible,” from the viewpoints.

“The SCH agreed with the comments raised by the DAC in relation to the proposed height and vicinity to the UCA of Naxxar, recommending once again a lessening of the overall volumes and massing of the proposed development, plus a mitigation of the design which should be sympathetic with the nearby village core,” the Case Officer noted.

The Development Management Directorate noted that the latest design still did not address the concerns raised by the DAC and SCH, “however the Development Management Directorate favourably considered the proposal in relation to the FAR Policy Document in terms of height and in line with a high quality and innovative design as required within medium and high rise buildings.”

The Case Officer, in the discussion part of the report, said: “The proposal, in relation to its height, will have a predominant view in both directions on Triq il-Markiz Guiseppe Scicluna. It will have a distinctly different visual appearance to the more traditional townscape in this area, which, together with the increased height, will noticeably and significantly change the streetscape view. Nonetheless, the Urban Design Study remarks that the future development of the intervening zoned land will serve to facilitate the visual integration of the proposal. However, the Scheme will likely be visible on the skyline, assuming the adjoining development respects the current height policies. Additionally, this space that is now open and without a real identity will be upgraded giving some enclosure and creating attractive semi-public and public places in which human interaction can happen.”

Among other things, the Case Officer said that the development proposal is a contemporary design which include quality public open spaces which is made of different components and creates a sense of place. “Furthermore, although visible from a number of viewpoints, the building is not creating an unacceptable visual impact and, notwithstanding the fact that this innovative design would contribute to a change in this area in terms of skyline and building morphology, this is being considered as an effective step towards the introduction of a modern building within the exiting urban context, providing a bold contrast between the old and new architectural element.”

“There are three scheduled properties in the vicinity of the proposal which are: the Grade 1 scheduled Torri Gauci, the adjoining residential property at No. 9 it-Torri Gauci (located approximately 240m and 205m to the north), the Grade 1 scheduled Palazzo Parisio (located approximately 125m to the south). “The scheme is unlikely to be visible in the setting of any of these properties given its relative location, the topography, and the intervening townscape,” the report reads.

The case officer recommended that the application be approved.