Civil society victory
The proposed plans for the building of a residence for students in Cottonera by the American University have been definitely rejected by the Planning Authority yesterday morning.
The news was received by a rapturous applause by people attending the hearing in Floriana.
In September, the Planning Authority Board had indicated that it will refuse a controversial application to expand the American University of Malta campus in Cospicua, overturning the recommendation of the application’s case officer.
That decision was confirmed unanimously yesterday.
The reasons given for the refusal included the loss of open space due to a proposed office block which was proposed to be built over a recently inaugurated open stairs area, and over the effect that a new wing to the Knights’ Building will have on the views of the Senglea fortifications.
The AUM had planned to extend its campus into a derelict building which is known as the Knights’ Building on the old dock front, turning it into an educational institution by making internal alterations and constructing an additional floor in steel and glass over and above the building’s current height.
The site is located within an Urban Conservation Area, and is subject to the Cottonera Development Brief, while the former submarine workshop, galley stores, and the sail loft of Dock 1 are also proposed to be scheduled.
Over the past weeks, NGOs held protests against the project, and were supported by government MP Glenn Bedingfield, President Emeritus Marie Louis Coleiro Preca and this morning by former Labour leader Alfred Sant.
In a statement, the PA said the proposed extension to the American University of Malta which is located along ix-Xatt ta’ Bormla, adjacent to Dock 1 will not go ahead after the Planning Board turned down an application which requested planning permission. The Board cited that the massing of the proposed extension would put into jeopardy the unique cultural heritage of the Senglea bastions and its surroundings. The board said that ever since the Dock 1 Development Brief was approved nearly 15 years ago, the realities within the area have changed.
The proposed extension was to include the construction of an administrative building between the British and the Knights building and the construction of a new educational building along Triq 31 ta’ Marzu. The disused building known as the Knights Building was to be restored and changed into an educational institution with new overlying additional floors. An existing surface car park and adjoining roads at Triq San Pawl were to be excavated and replaced by an underground parking facility for 180 parking spaces with an overlying student accommodation building.
In a statement, Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar said that after weeks of protest and activism, organised by a group of Cottonera residents “Tuna Artna Lura” (Give us back our Land), spearheaded by Joseph Tonna, Andrea Dibben and Rebecca Cremona with support from 11 NGOs and hundreds of residents from the Cottonera, the Planning Board refused planning permission for the American University of Malta (AUM) extension.
At the 27 September Planning Authority Board hearing, a door had been left wide open to the developers and their architect, stating that the PA would not approve the plans as submitted, but allowing the architect to resubmit fresh plans. At yesterday’s hearing no fresh plans were available. On the contrary, the architect argued that what his office had submitted conformed with 2005 development brief for the cluster of buildings and open spaces in question.
The Planning Authority Board today confirmed its commitment to refuse the controversial application to expand the American University of Malta campus in Cospicua, overturning the Case Officer’s recommendation to approve the application. A unanimous decision was taken, refusing planning permission to AuM’s application to extend its premises, which would have obliterated public open spaces and blocked historic views of the bastions.
To the applause of residents, Labour MP and government representative on the PA board Clayton Bartolo insisted that the visual impact on St Michael’s fort was unacceptable. “It is elementary that nobody builds in front of the bastions,” he said. NGO representative Annick Bonello also insisted that the project was against the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development (SPED) which overruled all other policies.
Flimkien għal Ambjent Ahjar extended a big round of applause to the Planning Board, for ensuring that an important part of Maltese Heritage has been safeguarded from rampant development, which would not benefit the Cottonera community in any way at all, but serve only to line the pockets of a chosen few. FAA also congratulates the residents it supported and thanks the legal advisors, architectural advisors and all other hard-working volunteers in building a strong campaign over the last three months, raising awareness re the potential loss of important public spaces and historic bastion views, had this application been approved. The important struggle to oppose what is wrong by residents and concerned citizens, is fully endorsed by FAA.
Our communities no longer stand by like sheep and watch helplessly. We do not accept the theft of our heritage to enrich businesses who give no added value as a return to the communities they plunder. As an established NGO, FAA will oppose such absurd planning applications with all means possible, to safeguard the interests of our communities, to ensure a better environment for all, the FAA said.