Objectors insist original Portomaso permit does not allow extension

A Mepa public meeting held to discuss a planned extension to the Portomaso project drew very low attendance this afternoon.

The meeting was held at St Julian's primary school.

The developers are proposing to develop a stretch of land adjacent to the southern block of the Portomaso Complex between Spinola Road, the edge of the existing marina and the foreshore. The project will feature a central lagoon, 46 dwellings on two storeys and 98 parking spaces.

The developers say the roof of the residential units will be landscaped in order to safeguard the views from overlying Portomaso apartments.

A lawyer and an architect representing the registered objectors, as well as Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Michael Briguglio, questioned the legality of Mepa actually considering this project, since one of the conditions of the original Portomaso permit laid down that no further development could take place.

They insisted that moreover, the Environment Impact Assessment should have started from scratch rather than having an updating of the 1995 EIA.

Architect Paul Gauci, who has been objecting to the extension since 2008, said the impact of the construction work on air quality and noise pollution was not considered in the EIA.

He insisted that according to law, conditions linked to a specific permit, as in the case of the original Portomaso permit, could not be reversed, and therefore Mepa should not consider or allow this extension.

Dr Briguglio read out the condition in the original permit saying no extensions would be allowed.

Architect Ray Demicoli, speaking for the developers, explained that the roof of the properties will be 8.5 metres from the lagoon level. The lagoon, which will be used for swimming, will use state-of-the-art filtration systems to reduce the amount of chlorine. There will be a waterfall into the current marina.

Reacting to the comments on the condition in the original permit, Mr Demicoli said several other developments on the Potomaso site had been carried out since the original permit following approval by Mepa.