A proposed high-rise in Qormi appears set for rejection amid concerns that it will “bury” a 17th-century windmill nearby.
The Planning Authority is due to decide on Thursday on an application by Meli Bugeja Limited to demolish a marble factory on Triq il-Mitħna and build a 12-storey office block with three underground-parking levels.
The proposal has drawn criticism from the Qormi local council, which warned of the impact on the adjacent windmill, known as Il-Mitħna tal-Erwieħ or Il-Mitħna ta’ Pampalaw.
The council said in an objection to the PA that the mill was one of the last of its kind in Malta and that an application had already been submitted for its restoration, including the reconstruction of missing parts.
The council also highlighted the lack of an environmental impact assessment or traffic studies for the proposed high-rise.
The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage insisted that any development should not impact the windmill’s stability, views and vistas, and called for the proposal to be redesigned to mitigate its impact.
The mill enjoys Grade 1 scheduling status, the highest level of protection available to historic buildings, which safeguards not only the structure itself but also its surroundings.
The cultural heritage watchdog also pointed out that Punic tombs had been documented in the area and that the survival of further archaeological remains could not be excluded.
The application is recommended for refusal, primarily due to the developers’ failure to submit information showing the proposal is compliant with the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) policy, which governs high-rises.
Qormi is not one of the areas designated for high-rise or even medium-rise buildings, but the policy makes an allowance for medium-rise buildings “outside the strategic search area to achieve other planning objectives, such as significant employment opportunities”.
Moreover, while the FAR policy defines medium-rises as having 10 storeys or fewer, under a separate policy the proposed 43-metre building height allows the Qormi proposal’s 12 storeys to be considered the same as 10. Nevertheless, the Planning Directorate said the project architect had failed to upload a detailed justification for the project in terms of the FAR policy, including the need for the site to be surrounded by existing or planned streets, and at least half of the site area allocated for open space.
The directorate added that there was a lack of information needed to assess the proposed development, including planning, sanitary, visual transport, infrastructure and environmental considerations.