The planning authority this afternoon approved an outline application for a lido on reclaimed land in Gzira proposed by four hotels – Bayview, Kennedy Nova, 115 The Strand and The Waterfront.
The hotels, which are all adjacent to the earmarked area, want the lido for their guests and paying users.
The proposal is a downscaled version of the original that had been submitted. It covers an area of about 2,300 square metres and will include a swimming pool, a bathing area and two restaurants.
There will also be a children’s play area and garden for public use, spanning an area of about 300 square metres. A two-metre-wide public passageway was recently included in the plans to allow access to the public, fishermen and boat owners.
The design of the restaurants was “improved”, respecting the openness of the existing promenade while “protecting important views towards Valletta and Manoel Island”, according to the developers.
The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage harboured concern on the visual impact the project would have from Valletta, a Unesco World Heritage Site.
The authority also unanimously approved an extension to the Riviera Hotel in Marfa on condition that the new cark is left open to the public at all times and the relocation of the St James Hospital from Zabbar to Tal-Hotba in Bulebel in an outside development zone.
This was necessary because the Zabbar hospital had become too small to deal with the increase in healthcare demands.
The hospital will have 130 rooms and 100 medical rooms and will employ 156 people full time and 33 part time.
The current hospital in Zabbar has to close within a year of the opening of the new hospital and it cannot be reopened as a hospital.
An outline application had been approved in September 2012 but the site was shifted when punic tombs were found for the remains to be preserved.