A controversial project to build 14 apartments in Spinola, next door to Villa Frieres has been put on hold for the second time after a sanitary official refused to endorse fresh plans submitted earlier this week.
Sanitary engineer Joe Farrugia refused to accept the plans that included windows of an adjacent property saying that, by law, these had to overlook an open space such as a yard and not open onto another wall.
“I only received these plans yesterday and I can’t accept them,” he told the planning authority board on Thursday.
The absence of the third-party windows in the original plans was highlighted in the board hearing by planning authority CEO Ian Stafrace who asked the applicant why they were only included in the updated plans.
Project architect Edwin Mintoff pointed out that the windows, which overlooked his client’s property, were illegal and should not affect his client’s development.
However, board chairman Austin Walker said the authority could not take a decision on sanitary matters because it fell outside the board’s competence. He accepted the developer’s request to suspend the application until this issue is settled by the General Services Board.
The new plans, submitted earlier this week, were amended following heavy criticism from the public – including a protest by St Julians residents – and feedback from the planning authority board.
Mr Mintoff explained that there had been a “radical” reduction as the number of apartments was cut to 14 from 21 and one storey had been completely eliminated.
The hearing was heavily attended by St Julians residents – some of whom wore T-shirts saying “How green was my valley?” and “Save St Julians” – and employees of the developer. Both sides applauded at various intervals until Mr Walker politely asked them to stop.
Thursday’s hearing had been put off after the developer was asked to clearly mark all the trees in the property, including Villa Frieres that will have to be restored.
Two mature olive trees will have to be transplanted to the garden of the villa, which has been marked as a diplomatic residence, and 80 other trees will be planted in the same area to make up for the uprooting, according to the environment directorate.
The development is being strongly opposed by neighbours and Flimkien Għal Ambjent who questioned how the planning authority could claim that the project fell in line with the local plan height limitation when, as seen from Spinola, the project was seven storeys high.