PA board set to decide on Qormi office block on Thursday
A planning application to construct a mixed-use commercial block is set to be decided by the Planning Authority board on Thursday. The proposed site is located opposite the Centerparc in Qormi.
The site has a trapezoidal shape and has frontages on three different roads: on Triq Ħal Qormi (an arterial road) to the south, Triq il-Belt Valletta to the north and Triq l-Erba’ Qaddisin to the west. It covers an area of circa 3,740 square metres which until recently consisted of an undeveloped parcel of land with the only structure on site being an old agricultural building, which will be retained, the case officer’s report read.
The case officer notes that originally, the development application consisted of a medium-rise commercial block having a showroom and a 13storey office block. “It is to note that the ‘Outline Development’ permit, nowadays expired, had approved in principle the introduction of 1,970m² of showroom area and 9,025m² of office space, occupying the developable area of the site.” The height of the building was since reduced.
The application, filed by
Joseph Portelli, aims to construct a mixed use commercial block comprising of a 3-storey car park; a showroom below street level having an approximate area of 1,404sqm; and an office block organised on 5 floors having an approximate total area of 9,530sqm above Triq il-Belt Valletta. The car park will consist of 221 parking spaces. This application is actually considered to be phase 2 of the project, with the phase 1 application having consisted of the excavation of the site in question, the case officer’s report reads.
The Environment and Resources Authority “stated that the proposed reduction in height of the development is considered to be positive and more in line with the surrounding area. ERA concluded that the impacts of the development are unlikely to be significant to the point of warranting an Environment Impact Assessment,” the case officer’s report read.
The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) commented that the site in question is located within an area of high archaeological sensitivity and the proposal is recommending the preservation of the following: the existing farmhouse, the existing water shoot, the existing reservoir, the existing stone wall/canal and any existing machinery/equipment.
“Whilst the existing farmhouse, reservoir and stone wall/canal system will be preserved and restored in place, the existing water shoot will be relocated to the southern part to the south of the site,” the case officer’s report read. The SCH said that the proposal is deemed acceptable from a cultural heritage point of view.
The case officer has recommended that the application be approved.