An Outline Development application proposing the construction of a home for the elderly in Mqabba, on the site of a quarry, is recommended for approval by the Planning Authority case officer.

The application also proposes the rehabilitation of the soft stone quarry and the demolition of existing structures, ramp, gates and boundary walls, uprooting and planting trees. The Planning Authority Board is expected to discuss the application this Thursday.

The plans indicate that the project would include 137 car parking spaces at basement level. It would include 42 two-bed bedrooms at ground floor level. It would also include 42 bedrooms on the first floor and another 42 on the second floor. The roof level is indicated to include a roof garden. The facility would also have dining areas, a multi-purpose area, staff facilities etc.

Outline Development Permission, if granted, is an approval in principle of the full development subject to a number of reserved matters which would need to be included in a full development permit application, which would have to be filed by the applicant later.

The site of the quarry is on Triq Valletta, Mqabba. It has been used for quarrying activities for at least 50 years, and ongoing operations include extraction of mineral rock and receipt of inert excavation, among other things, the report by the Planning Authority's case officer reads.

The site is located circa 120m from the development zone of Mqabba, and is surrounded by other quarrying activities along Triq Valletta.

Following assessment of the Environment Impact Assessment and overall consideration of the site context, the Environment and Resources Authority did not object to the proposal from an environmental point of view.

The Superintendence of cultural Heritage, however, has reservations. "This office and CHAC (Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee) reiterate their previous comments and again register apprehension at such a development which will have a negative impact on the entrance towards Mqabba. Concern is also expressed on the possible domino effect the proposed building will generate to the surrounding area located in an Outside Development Zone. Given the above, the Superintendence and the CHAC remain unfavourable to this application," it said. In later correspondence, the Superintendence said that it retains its reservations about the proposal as expressed, but also noted that the site may have been the location of archaeological discoveries in the early 20th century. It said that should this application be approved by the Planning Authority, the works are to be archaeologically monitored. 

Nature Trust Malta filed an objection to the application, objecting to old people's homes outside the community.

The case officer, in their consideration of the application, noted that the proposal for the site is not in line with what the local plan policy envisages. "Policy SMIA 11, as a first preference favourably considers the rehabilitation and reversion back to agriculture purposes of quarries in Mqabba, Siggiewi and Kirkop once these have reached extraction limit and are to be rehabilitated." The case officer said that the same policy also identifies a number of after-uses. "This outline proposal is for the construction of an old people's home class 2A, which deviates from the provision stipulated in the Local Plan for reverting of site back to agricultural purposes and for formal and informal recreational facilities, including sports facilities. However the principle of development for an old people's home is considered as acceptable in view that following the assessment of a site selection exercise, feasibility study, traffic impact assessment, and an Environment Impact assessment, it has been concluded that the provisions of the SPED thematic objective 2.1 were followed through the sequential approach in identifying the site's eligibility for the construction of an old people's home."

The case officer notes that the feasibility study concluded that the site subject to this outline application is most profitable, and the rest of the sites that were considered in the site selection exercise would result in financial loss if they were to be similarly developed.

Details of massing and volume will be considered in the eventual full development application, the case officer's report reads.

The case officer recommended that the outline application be approved.