During the Malta Environment And Planning Authority Development Control Commission meeting of last October 12, the application to construct apartments at the site occupied by houses 26/26a in Stella Maris Street, Sliema was unfortunately given the green light.

Approval was given on the basis of a compromise suggested by the DCC chairman, namely that the third floor will only be approved on condition that along Stella Maris Street it recedes by 2.5 metres. As this blatantly violates the Sliema urban heights limitations set in the 2006 NHLP for the said street, I consider the approval as out of order and scandalous as no policy can be circumvented by a compromise.

Although several board members were not in agreement with the proposed compromise, when casting their vote they said they were reluctantly giving a positive vote to finalise the application as it had been pending far too long. With all due respect to the board members, I feel they acted wrongly.

As the application has been placed on the agenda of the EPC meeting scheduled for today, I call upon the EPC committee to seriously review the DCC decision with a view to annul it because besides violating the urban height limitations of the Sliema Local Plan, it will also negatively impact the Stella Maris streetscape.

This application is similar to the Xemxija and Windsor Terrace cases. While the former was refused because of the predominant heights, the latter was repealed by the Appeals Tribunal as, besides violating the Local Plan, it inflicts irremediable negative impact on the streetscape.

It is relevant to highlight that several houses in Stella Maris Street have already been refurbished beautifully inside out without ruining the streetscape while about another five are in the process.