New planning policies that would permit the future implementation of investment project at Gozo General Hospital for the overall upgrade of its infrastructure and services have been drafted by the Planning Authority.

Besides being the sole and predominant provider of health related facilities and services in Gozo, the hospital, in Victoria, had essentially retained the same layout for decades leaving certain aspects of its infrastructure and facilities inappropriate for current day needs.

The proposed policies, which were being issued for public consultation, included the consideration of both lateral and vertical extensions within the site.

“While the proposed policy considers the take up of certain open areas located inside the hospital grounds for the addition of health and community services, including health tourism, the policy also clearly points out that attempts should be made to minimise this take-up for a healthy ‘open to built’ ratio to be retained,” Mepa said.

It said the policy would allow for new and existing buildings to be built higher than the existing building height provided there was sufficient justification for specific health facility improvement needs and the assurance of quality design.

“Any height extensions will still be subject to visual assessment and simulation studies during the development application stage to ascertain that proposed heights do not create an unacceptable visual impact. To limit, as far as possible, the visual intrusiveness, proposals must have varying overall building heights to avoid unacceptable massing and by receding along the ridge edge,” it said.

The proposed review document and the relevant maps can be viewed on the the authority’s website.

Submissions related to this proposed review may be sent to gozohospital@mepa.org.mt up to March 4.