The Planning Authority (PA) has established the planning parameters for the Australia Hall site in Pembroke, the PA said in a statement.

While the Grade 2 scheduled Australia Hall will be restored to its former glory and potentially be used as an exhibition center, the approved scheme allows the creation of three new standalone buildings along the west side of the protected property.

The PA’s executive council said that the area that will be taken up for development from the area zoned as formal gardens is largely being compensated for in the new approved scheme through public open spaces. Both ERA and the SCH agreed with this proposal as it will safeguard the visual integrity of the Australia Hall.

The height of these buildings will range between 13.9m and 10.6m so as not to dominate the scheduled building and will be separated by public open space. The site is entirely within the development boundary, the PA said.

The military latrines which is a Grade 3 scheduled structure located to the west of Australia Hall may be dismantled and incorporated in one of the buildings. Issues of design including mitigation measures to ensure the visual integrity of the Australia Hall will be discussed and evaluated at the full application stage. The approval of this planning control application does not mean that the landowner can commence any works.

For development to take place on site, the landowner must first submit a development planning application. This application will then be evaluated against the established planning policies and parameters outlined in the local plan and the planning control permit.