Pembroke residents urge Planning Authority to reject applications for 'towering blocks'

A group of 200 residents, together with Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar, have urged the authority to reject a ‘barage’ of 5 or 6 storey applications

Residents have argued that, if accepted, a string of 5 to 6 storey planning applications would destroy Pembroke's character and tranquility
Residents have argued that, if accepted, a string of 5 to 6 storey planning applications would destroy Pembroke's character and tranquility

Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) together with a group of roughly 200 Pembroke residents have called on the Planning Authority (PA) to reject a “barrage” of applications for 5 to 6 storey developments in the locality. They argue that if accepted, the developments would “alter and destroy the character and tranquillity of Pembroke”.

“The sudden surge of applications is no coincidence but a result of a change in planning policies introduced in 2015 that made it possible to increase all buildings by at least one additional floor over and above the building height limitations set in 2006 that, in the case of Pembroke, were already unreasonably set at 3 to 4 floors,” read a joint statement. “

The residents argue that the 2015 amendment opened the door for higher buildings that contrast with Pembroke’s “existing rows of 2 story terraced houses dotted by historic military barracks that give Pembroke its distinct character”.

Moreover, they said that Planning Authority CEO Johann Buttigieg had “blatantly denied” the policy’s implications by stating that the number of permissible floors has not increased, despite the PA itself having already approved hundreds of applications at this new increased building height.

“Through these policies, the PA is encouraging the demolition of terraced houses and their replacement with 5 or 6 storey apartment blocks without any consideration for the residents who already invested in Pembroke, specifically because it is a quiet low-density residential area with open green spaces and wide well-lit streets, characteristics that are all quickly disappearing in Malta as the island is engulfed by over-development, rampant congestion and increasing levels of air and noise pollution,” they said.

According to the statement, the Pembroke local council had also expressed “serious concerns” about the impact of towering blocks in Pembroke, adding that it was opposed to any development which would change the present configuration and nature of the residential area.

The residents said that at present, the PA is processing at least three applications of this kind in Pembroke, with the first being decided on Wednesday by the planning commission.

“In this case, the damage has already been done as an application for four floors on the exact same site was already approved in June 2016,” they said. “The applicant is now requesting to increase the development to 5 units.”

Nonetheless, the FAA together with the residents of Pembroke called on the PA to no longer “adopt developer-oriented policies” and to “start putting residents’ well-being at the heart of planning”.

“Buildings are for people and it is no use rampaging on with destructive construction for the sake of so-called development when you’re driving out the community you should be developing for.”