The Planning Authority this morning unanimously approved an application for a 340-room extension of the Seabank Hotel in Ghadira Bay in a meeting which lasted almost three hours.

The application also involved the building of a new reception area, landscaped gardens, pools and restaurants over an area of 18,069 square metres.

The site is in an Outside Development Zone although the Northwest Local Plan makes allowances for ‘restrained development’.

The board turned down a request by the developer for the planning gain to be reduced from €150,000. The developer also has to submit a bank guarantee of €100,000 to ensure compliance with all permit conditions.

The Mepa Heritage Advisory Committee had recommended refusal of the application because of its impact on surrounding fields and the saline marshland known as il-Hofra.

The extension will be built alongside the Mellieha bypass, with parts of it being below street level. The height will not exceed existing building.

While the Mellieha council and businessmen were in favour of the extension, Birdlife expressed concern because of the impact of light pollution and noise on the nature reserve and bird colonies and Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar pointed out that agricultural land would be wasted.

However, Adrian Mallia, the consultant appointed by the developer to draw up and Environment Impact Assessment, pointed out that the agricultural land that was to be taken over was not of much value.

MEPA Chairman Mr Austin Walker said: ‘although the extension for this development impinges on land which is outside the development boundaries, the board is satisfied with the recommendations given by both the environment and planning directorate, that key principles of sustainable development are being met.’ He added ‘that this development is respecting the current height limitation of the existing hotel and is within the restrained area permitted by the North West Local Plan.’