The Malta Environment and Planning Authority Board this morning turned down an application for alternations to Villa Chapelle in St Paul's Bay and the construction of 59 apartments in the open land behind it.

One of the main stumbling blocks was the height of the apartments, spread throughout three free-standing blocks, and the building density they would generate.

The villa and its gardens are scheduled and the construction of the apartments was to take place in a neighbouring, unscheduled, piece of land. The project was to include the restoration of the villa that would be used for commercial purpose.

The issue was that the site, that is 3,650 meters square, had entrances on two roads that had different road levels.

The main entrance to the site, that was to be the villa, was on Mosta Road that was lower in height that the back road Ramon Perellos since the site is sloped.

The plans for the apartment blocks, presented during the Mepa sitting, were based on the road level of the higher road. This meant that although the four-storey height limitation was being respected from Ramon Perellos Road, the building effectively had six storeys from the lower Mosta Road.

The project, that was originally recommended for approval, was turned down. Mepa chairman Austin Walker said it was clear that board members felt the project would have contributed to more over-development in the area.