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James Debono
The Archbishop’s Curia is currently engaged in negotiations with Joe Cortis, the owner of Villa Frieres in St Julians, who is proposing a massive development project set to alter the skyline of the town centre.
The developer’s preferred option involves the demolition of the historical and scheduled villa to make space for a multi-level car park and a new church parvis.
The construction of a nine-storey apartment block on the existing retail outlets in the Qalb ta’ Gesu square in Spinola is also envisaged. Since part of the project encroaches on church property, the developers need the approval of the parish church and the curia.
The project development statement presented by the developers in 2004 states that during discussions held in 2003, the curia and the parish had made “unfeasible and unacceptable demands.”
But since then discussions have continued and in November parish priest Fr Ray Toledo informed parishioners that negotiations with the developer had reached an advanced stage – to the extent that the developer was prepared to build a centre for the teaching of catholic doctrine.
Parish priest Ray Toledo, known in his locality for his passion for yachting and for his modern liturgical ways, would not give any details on current negotiations. “I am simply a parish priest, please direct your questions to the Curia’s PRO,” Toledo told MaltaToday.
The Archbishop’s PRO Charles Buttigieg told MaltaToday the Curia is not in a position to take a stand on the demolition or otherwise of Villa Frieres, or to divulge any information on negotiations being carried out with third parties.
Developer Joe Cortis confirmed that he is engaged in negotiations with the parish priest. “The aim of these negotiations is that the church and the local community benefit from the project,” Cortis told MaltaToday.
Since 1990, when the first development application was presented, the locality’s two former parish priests, Tony Agius and Martin Cardona, objected to the demolition of the villa. Cortis’s application for a “multipurpose development” on the Villa Frieres site dates back to 2002. In May 2004 architect Edwin Mintoff presented a project development statement to MEPA, which includes two different options.
The first option involves the demolition and subsequent reconstruction of the historic villa in the exact position of the original structure to enable developers to develop an underground car park. According to this proposal the area that stretches between the grounds of Villa Frieres and the staircase flanking the Saddles bar will be restricted to residential apartments and commercial units, including a restaurant, café and retail outlets.
The developers’ document states that the MEPA’s Heritage Advisory Committee has accepted the dismantling of Villa Frieres on condition it is reconstructed in the original state.
The second option, which is described as the preferred one, retains a similar design for the apartments and commercial outlets but does not include the reconstruction of the villa. Following the demolition of the villa and the incorporation of property presently owned by the church in the project, a car park will be developed.
The developer is also proposing the development of catering outlets above the car park, but says the development will endow the church and the local community with a parvis and “a typical Maltese village pjazza”.
No decision has been taken by MEPA on the development. The Planning Directorate is currently reviewing the application and discussions are currently underway with the applicant, a MEPA spokesperson told MaltaToday.
Despite the impact on the locality’s core the local council is not even aware of the application. Queried by Lapsi Street residents during last Thursday’s annual meeting with residents, the Nationalist mayor for St Julians, Peter Bonello, said he was not aware of the developer’s plans.
“I have not seen any plans,” Bonello told residents. Bonello urged residents to sign a petition, which the council would forward to MEPA. During the meeting residents expressed their concern that the nine-storey building will deny them access to sunlight. They also expressed their concern that the proposed block of apartments will overshadow the church.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
Links: www.mepa.org.mt
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