‘Pencil’ block off church prejudices Mgarr core

A pencil development of five storeys proposed by Silvan Fenech’s Tum Invest has been approved instead of a two-storey townhouse in Dun Edgar street, just 70 metres away from the Mġarr church.

Although outside the locality’s urban conservation area, the development is in an presently characterised by two and three storey houses.

As approved the development will create blank party walls on both sides of the new residential block, uprooting four citrus trees and a medlar shrub.

A Planning Authority case officer originally recommended refusal as the design of was deemed in breach of the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development, which aims “to protect and enhance the character and amenity of urban areas”. The proposed height was however in line with the notorious development guidelines of 2015 which allowed 16m-high developments in nearly most of Malta.

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage had also objected, noting that the existing building contributed positively to the well-preserved streetscape leading to the church and village core.

The application was described as “unacceptable in design and height and volume” and one which “would prejudice the character of the village core and condition development towards the church and Urban Conservation Area”.

Instead, the SCH said that it would accept a more “modest” addition “that is sympathetic to the existing building and surrounding context.”

But subsequently the PA’s planning commission, while expressing its concern on the proposed façade, gave the applicant a chance to submit new plans, which were approved on 6 December.

Even before being approved, development was already being sold on plan on the Tum Invest website where the development was advertised as a “brand new development in the heart of Mġarr consisting of an exclusive block of only five units”.