Controversial Balluta development has offices refused

An attempt to increase office space in an eight-storey block which has deleteriously jutted out onto the Balluta Bay, was turned down by the Planning Authority’s planning commission on Friday

An attempt to increase office space in an eight-storey block which has deleteriously jutted out onto the Balluta Bay, was turned down by the Planning Authority’s planning commission in a decision taken on Friday.

The development was originally approved as a mix of offices and residences.   

While the facade of the old townhouse facing the St Julian’s High Street was retained, an imposing back-end structure located just off the Barracuda restaurant has radically changed the appearance of Balluta Bay with the building’s upper floors jutting out over the sea itself.

In May 2018, the Environment Resources Authority stopped works on the site after the bay was repeatedly polluted with construction materials. The project is being “designed and styled” by LOFT Designs, a company owned by the Prime Minister’s chief-of-staff, Keith Schembri.

The latest application presented by developer Michael Stivala would have seen the residences approved in two stages in 2017 and 2018, converted into offices. This would have restyled 4,050sq.m of office space, which would have represented an increase of 2,700sq.m from the area allocated for offices in the original permit. The proposal also includes an additional level, while retaining the existing height except for a one-metre parapet wall on the uppermost level.

According to the PA’s case officer, the scale of office development as proposed was deemed excessive for a residential area, and would have had an adverse impact on the locality due to a shortfall of 63 car parking spaces, while creating a precedent for similar developments in the area.

On their part the developers presented a green travel plan, which included measures to encourage car-pooling and the use of public transport.

Despite the recommendation to refuse in a meeting held on 6 September, the planning commission indicated its intention to approve the permit and postponed its decision to last Friday, when the permit was eventually turned down.

In a bid to address the parking problem the developer submitted a promise-of-sale agreement signed with Paul Vella on behalf of BPM Ltd, for the transfer of an underground level of parking spaces accessible from Old College Street. But the case officer insisted that a legal deed would be preferable to a promise-of-sale agreement.