A planning application for a 13-storey apartment block in Xlendi is set to go before the Planning Authority Board on Thursday.

The application is marked as phase 2 of a project following the approval of a planning application for the demolition and excavation of the Xlendi hotel, in Xlendi, Gozo. The site is located within the limits to development of Xlendi. The area is characterised by apartment blocks and commercial outlets.

The application was filed by Mark Agius on behalf of Excel Investments Ltd, a company part owned by developer Joseph Portelli. It proposes the construction of 46 residential units and a shop with underlying garages and car spaces organized into 13 levels.

The Phase 1 demolition and excavation application was approved back in 2021, and had originally mentioned that phase 2 would see the construction of an 80 room hotel on the site. This however changed, as the phase 2 application mentions apartments.

A number of objections to the application were filed. Objections argued that the original demolition "was approved on the condition that a hotel would be built," the case officer's report read. Wirt Ghawdex said that "the intention of this application contradicts the purpose of the demolition as described and approved in PA/04587/20, namely the construction of a 4-star hotel. This alone already provides a basis for objection to the proposed development, which is set to exacerbate the piecemeal destruction of Xlendi." Other objectors mention that the site is near a ridge edge and breaches GZ-EDGE-2 policy, that the development disregards the need to preserve Xlendi's scenic and tourism value, that the scale of the development will overload local infrastructure and traffic systems, among other things.

The case officer's report read, however, that the proposed development is residential in nature and in accordance with the zoning for the area as per Local Plan.

Regarding the building height, the case officer's report reads that the development has a frontage on two streets namely Triq San Xmun and Triq il-Punici, both of which have their height limitation set to 4 floors and 6 courses semi-basement as per the Gozo and Comino Local Plan. "The proposed development respects the relative allowable height in metres when considered from the highest street level in Triq il Punici. The difference in level between Triq Il- Punici and Triq San Xmun when measured from the heights to the lowest street level is that of approximately to 16 metres. This means that in order to accommodate the height limitation from both streets, a number of setback levels over another will be created."

It reads that the proposed setbacks are in line with policy "which requires the building envelope to conform with the existing street topography", and that the proposed development respects the relative allowable height in metres in line with policy P35 Building Heights and P36 Building Heights along Sloping Sites or Streets.

The case officer recommended that the application be approved.