Proposed redevelopment of Grand Hotel Verdala recommended for approval

The demolition of the existing Grand Hotel Verdala in Rabat and its proposed redevelopment is one of the applications that will make its way before the Planning Authority Board on Thursday. The case officer has recommended that the application be approved.

The Case Officer’s report highlights that this “is an outline development application,” and that it includes the construction of a hotel and apart-hotel with guestrooms and serviced apartments, spa, gym and facilities as well as the construction of two new residential blocks with private apartments. Site access would be both from Triq Inguanez and also a drop-off lay by along the hotel frontage at Triq ir-Rgħajja. The application was originally filed back in 2017.

An Outline Development Application is a type of planning permission which seeks to establish whether the scale and nature of a proposed development is acceptable in principle to the Authority. Subsequent to receiving this planning permission an applicant will require a full development permit to actually carry out the project. With an Outline Development Application fewer details are required, which details will be spelt out in the full development application.

The Superintendent of Cultural Heritage (SCH) has been consulted on the project.

“At the initial stage of processing of this application, the SCH referred that the property proposed for development is located within an Area of Archaeological Importance of Mdina and Rabat. Several archaeological remains have been documented in the area and the survival of further archaeological remains cannot be excluded. There is a risk that ground disturbance in this area may uncover cultural heritage features that may necessitate the amendment of approved plans.”

Given the high archaeological sensitivity of the area, while vertical extension within the previously excavated area may be considered, the extension of the basement level over unexcavated areas should be removed from the proposal, the SCH said. “Nevertheless, any approved development will require that works are archaeologically monitored.”

The SCH said that any clearing or excavation are to be monitored by an archaeologist who has to be approved and directed by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage. It also said that any features and remains of cultural heritage value discovered or noted during all stages of the development are not to be disturbed and are to be protected in site.

The Environment and Resources Authority was also consulted, and noted that the site sits on the edge of the Rabat escarpment, and falls partly outside the development zone boundary and partly within scheme. However, the whole site is committed to development and no remnant of agricultural land exists on site.

The latest plans as provided in the Environment Impact Assessment Addendum indicate that the complex will be distributed in three buildings that are stepped up from three floors to seven in height along Triq ir-Rgħajja and 7 floors along Triq Santa Katerina, the ERA said.

“At the rear of the site, overlooking the ridge, the hotel will rise to eight floors. The entire site except for the Virtu’ Heights has been committed since the early 1970s when the hotel started its operations. The ERA notes that part of the site which falls outside the official building zone alignment, approximately 1,000sqm will be developed to link the new hotel with the ‘Virtu’ Heights block. This area was previously committed by swimming pools and paving as part of the existing derelict hotel and is presently scarified following removal of these interventions. A previous planning application in 1994 granted permission for the redevelopment of this area. In this respect, noting that the entire site has been compromised through the hotel development, no new take up of undeveloped land is envisaged,” the ERA said.

With regards to the visual impact of the proposal, “the massing of the building due to a larger volume and bigger site coverage contrasting with existing buildings, will exert visual impact from most of the mid-range and panoramic views. However, when comparing the proposed replacement building against the existing baseline that consists of one massive building, the ERA notes that the impact of the proposal on the prevailing landscape character would be marginally reduced,” the case officer’s report read.

“The urban design treatment of the transition point between the Rabat urban development zone and the open countryside immediately beyond is still evident and to an extent affects the rural landscape character and the townscape. In view that this application is still at outline stage, it should be ensured that the final design provides a smooth transition between the two zones. This aspect shall be considered by the Planning Authority in the development consent process.”

The Environment Resources Authority “acknowledges the fact that the location of the site is very prominent and any intervention will be very visually sensitive on the landscape and the skyline. The conclusions of the review of the EIA shows that the overall site context, previous development commitments on site and the limited range of expected additional impacts are such that there are no overriding reservations from an environmental point of view.”

The case officer, when debating the proposal in principle, highlighted that the main issues revolve around the mix of uses within/outside development zone and the building height/massing. “Although the proposal involves the redevelopment of a site and thus, the proposal is to be considered with respect the scheme, the Planning Directorate considered previous commitments on site. Whilst the validity of a previous 1994 application may be argued, it is noted that the land, including areas outside development zone, has long been considered and committed for hotel development.”

As regards configuration, the proposed development involves the development of residential within scheme and the consolidation of a hotel partly within scheme and partly outside development zone over the approved building footprint ODZ and onto an area committed for ancillary pools and hard landscaping ODZ. “Configuration issues relate to outside the development zone. Whilst concerns were raised such that the proposed floorspace and volumes ODZ are compared to the approved profile, floorspace and volume, it is noted that as reasoned by the Environment and Resources Authority no new take up of undeveloped land is envisaged.”

As regards massing, “it is noted that internal discussions originally noted that a 1994 permit had already approved a building higher than the height limitation for the residential block. Drawings approved in the 1994 application indicate a height of 26m along Triq ir-Rgħajja with overlying circulation cores/amenities which reach 29m. The proposed development involves a building height of 21m that is c. 5m above statutory height limitation set as 16.3m (3 floors with basement).”

The case officer has recommended granting the proposed application, with a number of conditions. The main parameters being considered at this outline development stage relate to: The need for a comprehensive full development application to cover the whole ex- Verdala Hotel Site including the development subject to PA141/03 wherein a visually permeable connection is to be detailed at full development stage to ensure that the development operates as one hotel; Establish development parameters in outline form including land-use, development footprint, maximum allowable floorspace and maximum allowable building height above highest street level.”

The conditions attached for the full development application to go forward, include that the maximum allowable floorspace within scheme shall not exceed 20,856sqm above the highest street level within the developable footprint, and that certain building heights will not exceed 219.8m above highest street level, among other things.