Floriana Football Club given permit for more tables and chairs

In order to reinforce its decision, the Commission made express reference to Structure Plan policy BEN 1, which seeks to protect the amenity of existing uses. 

In reaction, the applicant lodged an appeal before the Environment and Planning Tribunal, insisting that the proposed pavement extension (onto the road) would not replace or remove any existing parking spaces since the club is located on a corner. More so, applicant maintained that despite his premises being located in an area which the Local Plan has identified  as a residential zone, the site lies in the vicinity of the church, facing the granaries, which area is synonymous with “traditional ways of socializing and recreation.”

In addition, the applicant stated that should his application be approved, “the number of people in the area would not vary” since “the Granaries are subject to a lot of activities being concerts and people just hanging out in the square.” In conclusion, applicant made reference to a number of planning applications whereby permits were issued for various commercial uses in the immediate vicinity.

Once again, the case officer reiterated that the proposed interventions were not acceptable, as the site is located within a designated residential area, adding that the proposed tables and chairs ancillary to the existing football club’s bar would cause nuisance to neighbouring residences in virtue of noise.

In its assessment the Tribunal immediately observed that the Authority issued a permit for the placement of tables and chairs in front of a bar which is located a few metres away from the club in question on the premise that “the placing of tables and chairs site is directly opposite the church, which is synonymous with such traditional ways of socializing.”

Against this background, the tribunal concluded that the football club application should have been afforded similar treatment and thus ordered the Authority to issue the permit on condition that “the extended pavement shall be constructed in local hard stone slabs.”  

The tribunal held that Floriana Football Club should be afforded “planning” treatment similar to that given to a bar in the vicinity…