UPDATED: MEPA puts off Fort Cambridge development decision

The board of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority has put off a decision on the controversial Fort Cambridge apartment blocks project in Tigne.

The board voted 5-3 in favour of a motion moved by board member architect Joe Farrugia, who had been appointed by the Prime Minister, which effectively sends the project back to the drawing board.

Following a stormy four-hour sitting Mr Farrugia said that the proposed 23 storey development was "preponderant, too bulky, too big and unacceptable". He suggested that the architects consider making a proposal which respected the 16-storey height limitation in the development brief.

The original proposal had been of 16 floors, but after consultation with neighbouring residents, the MEPA Planning Directorate had suggested to the developer to reduce the footprint but increase the height of the project.

Following the MEPA decision today, the developer's architect, Alex Torpiano said he was perplexed that the authority was now reconsidering the issue of the height given that this matter had already been discussed a year ago and the authority actually granted an outline permit for a 23-floor development.

He said that today's discussion had to centre on the visual impact of the development, which meant, in technical terms, the facade and similar cosmetic details.

Mr Farrugia, who was not on the board when the outline permit was granted, said that the height limitation had a fundamental impact on the visual impact. He argued that for a few residents of the proposed development to enjoy a little more open space, the view of the area, from, say, Valletta, would be marred to the detriment of thousands of people.

No decision was taken on when the project would be reconsidered.

The project would have involved the development of 341 apartments.