The Planning Authority is set to approve plans to build an 11-storey structure at SmartCity in spite of a warning by the cultural heritage watchdog that this could compromise Valletta’s Unesco World Heritage Site status, Times of Malta has learnt.
A 2008 SmartCity master plan had set a seven-storey limit for buildings there and correspondence seen by Times of Malta shows that the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage strongly insisted the limit must be respected by the structure in question, known as The Shoreline.
“The advisory committee and the Superintendence recommend that the proposed building height should be reduced and certainly not exceed the height outlined in the master plan on the basis of the effect on the views and vistas of Valletta World Heritage Site and the scheduled fortifications,” the Superintendence told the planning watchdog.
“The advisory committee further noted that the extent of proposed massing should be further studied by the authority,” it pointed out.
SmartCity owners gave their green light
Despite the cultural heritage watchdog’s clear stand, the PA is still recommending the approval of an application for the building of 400 residential units and a large commercial and retail area rising to 11 storeys.
Although the 2008 master plan is still legally valid, the PA is justifying its stand on the basis that the SmartCity owners gave their green light to this option.
“The proposal does not follow the exact parameters set out in the provisional plot development guidelines assessed in the outline permit with respect to the maximum height of the building and to the gross floor area,” the PA’s case officer, Ivan Fava, wrote in his report.
“However,” he added, “the application is accompanied by statements from SmartCity Malta agreeing to the transfer of both the additional gross floor area and additional height from other plots within the approved master plan.”
The Times of Malta reported on Tuesday that an application was filed in 2017 to alter the original master plan. SmartCity had now suspended the process though it is not clear why.
In its proposals, SmartCity indicated it wanted to change the internal structures permitted for development in the 300,000 square metres of land, given to them by the government at low ground rent on the premise that it was to be developed into an ICT city.
The master plan changes, now suspended, included proposals for new height limitations.