Permit granted for antenna on scheduled Zebbug parish church

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has approved the installation of a mobile phone antenna on the Zebbug parish church’s dome despite concerns by the Heritage Planning Unit that it impinges on the visual integrity of the 17th century church.

In so doing, the Environmental Planning Commission has overturned a recommendation for refusal by the Planning Directorate.

A similar application for the installation of a mobile mast antenna on the Luqa parish church was also deferred on Friday.

This negative recommendation was overturned after the visual impact was minimised through the relocation of parts of the equipment indoors and the removal of the antenna fixed to the back of the main facade.

In its final deliberation, the board deemed that the antenna will have “no significant visual or negative impact on historical building”.

But the vote was not unanimous as one member of the commission still voted against the proposal.

In a previous sitting the Environment Planning Commission had given the architects 10 more days to present new plans.

On that occasion, the EPC made it clear that it will only accept the application if the antenna is not visible from the village square.

But MEPA’s HPU was very categorical in its recommendations, deeming the fixing of antennae on the belfries and domes of Maltese churches as “objectionable in principle” since this impacts on the visual integrity of the churches.

The Zebbug church is a Grade 1 scheduled monument and has one of the largest 17th century domes on the Maltese islands.

Another service provider has already installed antennae, which are “well and truly cluttering the dome drum,” the HPU contends.

Although none of the proposed antennas would be directly visible from the street level immediately adjacent to the site, the original proposal was visible from across the square in front of the parish church.

This led the case officer to the conclusion that the proposed development is likely to have an adverse impact on the architectural character of the site.

MEPA’s policy on Satellite Dishes and Telecommunications Antennae states that the installation of this equipment cannot be of detrimental effect to the character of an Urban Conservation Area.

Luqa church proposal

On Friday, MEPA also had to decide on an application to erect an antenna on the Luqa parish church. The case officer advised the EPC to refuse this permit, but the board decided to postpone the decision pending further information from the applicant.

According to MEPA’s Heritage Planning Unit, the proposal is in breach of structure plan policies which regulate development in Urban Conservation Areas.

The HPU also noted that other service providers have already installed antennae and have, as a consequence, cluttered the entire roof top of the church, with trunking and cables drilled into the masonry of the church.

“In view of the fact that this is a Grade 1 scheduled building, this proposal is unacceptable in principle and an alternative site must be sought”.

According to the case officer report, the proposed location of the antenna to be installed would result in this being visible from the street level and this would in turn have a negative impact on the visual integrity of the building (particularly the drum supporting the dome) and the surrounding area.

The case officer saw no need to discuss these issues with the architect, as the proposal was “objectionable in principle”.

The installation of a mobile phone antenna is a considerable source of revenue for the local church.

The Archdiocese of Malta has entered into agreements with all three local mobile telephony providers. By 2009, 43 antennas had already been installed on its properties.

The church refused to reveal how much money it is receiving from mobile phone companies in return for hosting these antennas on its property.

“The agreements with the providers are subject to payment. Considering that these agreements are with commercial entities, it is not felt appropriate to unilaterally divulge certain details about them,” a spokesperson for the Archbishop’s Curia told MaltaToday in 2009.

All income derived from such agreements goes to the particular church entity involved.