A planning application to excavate and construct 182 garages, 118 apartments and two shops in Marsascala is set to be discussed by the Planning Authority board on Thursday.
The proposal is located in the area known as Zonqor within the periphery of the north-easter side of Marsascala along Triq l-Ghawwiema and Triq l-Ghaguza, abutting existing residential developments to the south and south-west. The parcel of undeveloped land formed part of the ‘Rationalisation of Development Zone Boundaries' (July 2006), the case officer’s report read.
The report read that the proposed building height reaches 17.50 meters above the highest street level. “The site is sloping towards the sea with an average of 10 meters change in level.”
A number of representations were filed objecting to the development, raising concerns.
Din L-Art Helwa was “seriously concerned” about the impact of the proposed building on this urban landscape. “The applicant furthermore failed to adhere to policies apply to proposals on sloping streets. In this case the proposed development makes no consideration of the need to slope the building such that it respects the site's topography, which has resulted in the proposal being overbearing and imposing. It severely exceeds the height limitation along the depth of the site at various stages along the sloping street. There is also a failure to consider the impact of the massive block at the edge of the development zone on adjacent rural areas and long-distance views towards and around the site”
Some of the other concerns raised by various objectors, according to the case officer’s report, were that since the site was previously designated as Outside of the Development Zone, it should be kept as a public open space. Other arguments made were that the proposal will increase the traffic on the existing road network and will also increase the parking demand within the area in view of the proposed commercial spaces. “The increase in cars, and traffic, and subsequent pollution will result in a loss of air quality, and less life quality to neighbouring houses.” Another said that the proposal is an intensive development of the site which will have a considerable cumulative impact on the surrounding residential areas.
Commenting, the Development Management Directorate said that the increase in vehicular movements have been deemed acceptable for the existing network and the proposed development will cater over and above the parking requirement for the proposed uses. The case officer’s report reads that according to the Annual Average Daily Traffic (A.A.D.T.) report, the proposed residential units would have an A.A.D.T. of circa 662 new trips.
The Development Management Directorate also said that the site has been included within the development zone as part of the rationalization exercise dated July 2006 and the parameters for the site in terms of land use and height limitation have been established in a previous planning control application. As for the height limitation, it noted that this has been worked out considering the height as defined in policy from the highest pavement level and then, considering frontages on four streets, the building has been stepped accordingly to the projected line of the terrain and the sight-lines relative to the site.
The Environment and Resources Authority did not object to the proposal.
The case officer has recommended that the application be granted.