13-Floor Development in Xlendi set for approval

Standalone high-rise development is not allowed in Gozo under the policy regulating the development of tall buildings of over 10 floors.

However, the unusual approval is being recommended for approval by the case officer because the apartment block is proposed between two streets at different levels, allowing the building to comply with height limits relative to each street. 

A final decision is due on Wednesday.   

The development is being proposed by Excel Investments, a company owned by Joseph Portelli and Mark Agius.

The full development application seeks permission for phase two of a project following demolition and excavation approved five years ago. The proposal includes 46 residential units, a 180 sq.m convenience store, and underlying garages and car spaces spread across 13 levels.

The site is within the development limits of Xlendi, fronting both Triq San Xmun and Triq il-Punici, which differ in elevation by roughly 16 metres. The planning officer’s report recommending approval notes that the sloping nature of the site allows the development to comply with relative height limits when measured from both street levels.

The building design incorporates multiple setback levels, a strategy consistent with policy P36 on sloping sites, which requires that new developments follow the natural topography of streets. Section drawings submitted with the application show that the setbacks align with the existing street profile, and the proposed materials and façade design are considered compatible with neighbouring structures.

The shop element of the project, although exceeding the 75-square-metre floor area typically allowed for convenience shops in similar areas, is deemed acceptable by the case officer because it is moderate in scale and consistent with the area’s character.

The case officer further notes that the proposed development observes key policies related to building heights, setbacks, and visual integration, including a one-metre parapet wall on the setback floor to maintain sightlines. Permanent structures maintain the minimum required distances from façades, ensuring compliance with visibility and design standards.

Environmental NGOs objected to the development, citing its visual impact and the scale of the project, which they said could overload local infrastructure and traffic systems.

The demolition of a two-storey building, paving the way for the development, was approved in 2021 as the first phase of a project that at the time envisaged a 13-storey hotel in Xlendi by developer Joe Portelli. Commission planning chairman Claude Mallia had insisted that the demolition approval did not entail a commitment on the future of the site. He said he understood concerns about the possible development and encouraged further discussion. The 846 sq.m site is situated on a very narrow street within Xlendi.