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The developers of Il-Piazzetta in Sliema have told Malta Today their new application at proposes a garden on land that is privately owned by them, which garden will also be made available for public use.
The then Planning Authority’s appeals board issued a ‘go ahead’ in 1996 for a building of five storeys to be built on the ‘Piazzetta’, as well as confirming that a building could be built on the old naval clinic at the height according to the regulations for seafront Sliema. In essence, had the 1996 verdict been adopted by the developers, an eight plus one-storey building would have been built on the ex-naval clinic and a five-storey building would have been constructed on the existing open area known as the ‘Piazzetta’.
Mark Gasan said “the five-storey building on the open area would have been built on a footprint of 744 square metres out of a total of 1,405 square metres of the footprint of the open area known as the ‘Piazzetta’. The 2004 application proposes that instead of developing a five-storey building, which was given the green light in 1996 by the PA Appeals Board, more floors will be built on the ex-naval clinic and much less building on the open area known as ‘Piazzetta’.
“Therefore, instead of an eight plus one-storey building on the ex-naval clinic and five floors on the ‘Piazzetta’, a building of 15 floors would be erected on the ex-naval clinic and one glass structure on the open area known as ‘Piazzetta’.”
Mark Gasan explained that the area known as ‘Piazzetta’ would be excavated and a car park for residents of the flats would be built. Furthermore, on the ground floor a glass structure of a footprint of 155 square meters and a kiosk of eight square metres would be built on the total available footprint of 1,405 square metres. The glass structure would be built at the back of the property next to Ghar-Il Lembi Street. It was pointed out that the glass structure and the kiosk would not hinder the uninterrupted views that the surrounding properties enjoy today, but will give them the added value of overlooking a well-maintained garden. Out of the total floor area of the existing car park, 1,242 square metres would remain undeveloped and a garden would be created with trees, shrubs and benches, for public use.”
Gasan emphasised that should this new application be approved by MEPA it would create a new garden for public use in the heart of Sliema and immediately opposite the seafront promenade. The new building envelope, to be constructed in accordance with the application of 2004, will use a building footprint of 1,000 square metres less than that given the green light by the PA Appeals Board in 1996.
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