‘Nothing more to add’: Watchdog on towers marring University vista

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage “has no further comments to add” following the presentation of photomontages showing the visual impact of developer Michael Stivala’s 17-storey tower in Ta’ Xbiex on the Valletta skyline from the university, a view protected by the local plan.

Stivala’s architects replied by presenting a photomontage which shows the 33-storey Metropolis tower screening the new Ta’ Xbiex tower, in a clear indication that the larger tower was approved in breach of the local plan, which bans high rise development from obstructing the protected views.

Following Stivala’s application to add two new floors to an approved 15-storey tower in Ta’ Xbiex the SCH had requested photomontages showing the impact of the enlarged development on the view of Valletta from the university which is protected by the local plan.

In its latest comments on the case the SCH simply noted that the approved 15-storey tower “already far exceeds the Valletta skyline”.

But it also noted “that the tower will be screened from viewpoints captured from the University Quadrangle by the approved adjacent development, the Metropolis tower which is considerably higher than what is being proposed in this application”.

In view of the above considerations, the Superintendence declared that it “has no further comments to add from a cultural heritage perspective”, thus clearing the way for the approval of Stivala’s application.

The photomontage shows the proposed ST Tower ‘hidden’ behind the yet-to-be-built Metropolis Tower, a massive 33-storey tower by Libyan developers Husni Bey, when viewed from the University of Malta.

(photomontage of Stivala’s 17 storey as seen from the university in absence of Metropolis tower)

But in the absence of the Metropolis – now a decade left undeveloped – the ST Tower will stick out like a sore thumb when seen from this protected view.

Local plan policy NHSE 08 clearly states the PA should “refuse development permission” for any proposed development that is likely to have a detrimental effect on the “strategic view” linking the university and Valletta.

Yet despite these very specific policies, the Metropolis development was still approved in 2009 and renewed in 2014, despite its clear and definitive impact on this protected view.

So far, apart from the excavation of a massive hole of circa 6,000sq.m, works on this development have not even commenced even if the permit is set to expire in September 2023.

Yet the prior approval of the Metropolis development has set a precedent for other developments in the area. In fact, the case officer report for the Stivala tower approved in 2020 suggests that the visual impact of the new development will “complement” that of its larger neighbour.