The planning authority has turned down an application for alterations to the early 20th century Villa Chapelle in St Paul’s Bay and the construction of three free-standing apartment blocks behind it.

“It is clear the (Malta Environment and Planning Authority) board members believe the development would have contributed to more over-development in an already over-developed area,” Mepa chairman Austin Walker said after the board voted against the application.

The main stumbling block was the height of the proposed apartments and the buildings’ density.

Villa Chapelle and part of its gardens are scheduled though the construction of the apartments was to take place in an unscheduled part of the garden. The apartments were to be recessed by about 26 metres from the back of the villa.

According to the proposed development, the villa, situated along Mosta Road, would have been restored and used commercially while serving as a main entrance to the development behind.

Two of the three apartment blocks were to be built within the inner parts of the site, at the back of the villa, and the remaining residential block would have been accessible from a street at the back.

The issue of accessibility from two roads triggered a debate about height limitations. The villa on the main road is restricted by a lower building height than the back street, which is on a slope.

The plans for the apartment blocks, presented during the Mepa sitting, were based on the higher road level, meaning that although the four-storey height limitation was being respected from Ramon Perellos Street (at the back), the building effectively had six storeys from the main road.

The architect and the case officer, who recommended the project for approval, pointed out that the two extra storeys should have been perceived as an additional two levels of basement that could be used as residential properties if they fulfilled health and safety requirements.

The project had the go-ahead of the transport and heritage authorities. However, several Mepa board members expressed concern about the density of the project and its height.