Planning Directorate against Preluna beach concession

The planning directorate, the technical arm of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) which overviews planning applications, has called on the authority to reject an application for a beach concession in Ferro Bay, presented by the Preluna Hotel in Sliema.

This could be a clear sign that the MEPA is heeding the objections presented by the Sliema local council and residents objecting to more beach concessions on the Sliema coast. 

A petition to protect public spaces which referred to this application and other beach concessions signed by 1,750 residents was also presented by the environmental NGO Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar.

A decision on this development is set to be handed down on 24 September.

The proposal is deemed to breach Structure Plan policy CZM 3, which seeks to protect coastal zones and secure public ownership and access of the coastline.

The proposal also runs counter to the North Harbour Local Plan, as it may result in the loss of marine habitats within the coastal zone.

The proposed development is seeking to replace the existing concrete platform of 85 square metres and replacing it with another platform made of limestone occupying 265 square metres to create an area which will be used for the hiring of sunbeds and umbrellas.

A staircase to link the current beach club to the proposed extension is also being proposed while plans have been submitted to change the existing concrete boundary with one built using “natural” rock.

MEPA’s Environment Protection Directorate objected to the development, as it would result in the “obliteration of the natural coast”.

According to the local plan the site is part of a designated Blue Flag beach area stretching from the Fortress to Balluta Bay, where only development relating to infrastructure, which causes no ecological harm, can be allowed.

The Planning Directorate has also called on MEPA to reject an application presented by Michael Stivala, owner of the Bayview hotel, for a beach concession at Qui-Si-Sana, beneath Gnien Bonello du Puis.

The beach concession was issued on the watch of the previous government through a letter sent by the Government Property Division.

Despite the Planning Directorate’s clear recommendation to reject Stivala’s application to use the area granted to him by the previous government, for the hire of sunbeds, the Environment Planning Commission has not outrightly rejected the application.

In fact on Tuesday, in an indication that it may give the application further consideration, the EPC board gave the architect 10 more days to change plans to keep the first three metres of foreshore free from any structure.

A decision on this application is now set for 7 October.