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Charles Polidano’s Bajja Developments company claim that the de-scheduling of two villas was not approved and notified prior to the approval of the MEPA application, but close to two months after the permits were granted
James Debono
In a veritable reversal of roles, a company owned by construction magnate Charles is taking the planning authority (MEPA) to task for demolishing two old houses next to his Meridien Hotel in St Julians.
On 10 January, the MEPA Appeals Board will be hearing an appeal by Bajja Developments against two permits the authority issued to bring down two de-scheduled villas, to replace them with two blocks of seven storeys which will also obstruct the view of some of the hotel rooms.
The de-scheduling of the old villas at ir-Rampa ta’ San Giljan, right beneath the Meridiana Hotel, was only published two full months after the controversial permits were issued.
And despite having scheduled the old villas itself, MEPA approved their demolishing on the basis that they had been “de-scheduled by the Hon Minister’s approval of the de-scheduling on 15th March 2006”, a case officer’s report reads.
The buildings were previously grade 2 scheduled buildings in MEPA’s Planning Fact Book and grade 3 in the government gazette. While grade 2 buildings cannot be demolished, grade 3 buildings can only be demolished if the replacing building is in harmony with its surroundings.
Bajja Developments claim that the de-scheduling was not approved and notified prior to the approval of the MEPA application, but close to two months after the permits were granted.
A letter sent by MEPA board secretary Francis Tabone back in December 2005 before the permit was issued, states that the Minister for the Environment and Rural Affairs George Pullicino “agreed in principle with the proposed de-scheduling” but could not endorse the de-scheduling since the design of the building was not in harmony with its surroundings – particularly the adjoining Villa Cassar Torregiani, a grade 2 building.
After new plans were presented, the MEPA board again recommended de-scheduling to the minister, whose endorsement is required by law when MEPA de-schedules or downgrades the protection of building. No de-scheduling is valid without the Minister’s approval.
MEPA also approved the development despite the fact that the street in which the building stood was categorised as a category A street, which according to the case officer’s report mean it had “high streetscape value which cannot be compromised in any way through development”.
In their appeal Bajja Developments contend that the DPA reports contain errors which misinformed the DCC board. A case in point is a case officer’s report, which mistakenly refers to Villa Cassar Torregiani as a grade 3 listed building. Grade 3 buildings do not enjoy the same degree of protection as grade 2 buildings.
Bajja Developments contend the proposed buildings do not fit in the footprint occupied by the two villas as requested by the Planning Directory and that a new blank party wall is being proposed immediately adjacent to Villa Cassar Torregiani.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt |
