Case Study 2
Site of PENDING PLANNING APPLICATION PA/04211/09 and PA/04212/09 on The Strand
SRA placed proforma objections here and here also as guidance to interested persons who are unfamiliar with the public consultation process or details of these cases. The closing date for formal objections is now past - but the debate continues. If you are concerned, please write to the papers, to your MP or to SRA...
STOP PRESS Over 100 objections were received at MEPA for each of the following developments. It remains to be seen how MEPA will proceed. WATCH THIS SPACE
PA/04211/09 proposes 59 new apartments in a development which is 10 floors high; PA/04212/09 proposes 16 new apartments in the space of one traditional townhouse!
The plans seen at MEPA indicate that PA/04211/09 will contain a total of 168 bedrooms (some double) and PA/04212/09 will have 27 bedrooms (some double). It is easy to judge that these latest planning applications will house about 250 people alone.
That these two applications are submitted at the same time as the PENDING planning applications for the Villa Bonici site (the open space behind with established gardens) PA/06239/08 with numerous new high rise blocks of apartments plus the PENDING request to re-develop the ex-Forestals/Deloitte building as per PA/02590/09 (intended to grow from 5 to 10 floors high) is no coincidence.
A proper review of all these plans together could quantify the total Social Impact - but such work should rightly fall on MEPA and not SRA!
The additional population for Sliema of these 4 planning applications taken together is estimated to be over 1,000 extra residents at least (assuming the apartments sell and are then used). The increased demands on the infrastructure, roads and open spaces has not been considered thus far it seems.
In a locality where the present overcrowding is severe, this increase can not be tolerated without severe detriment to existing homes.
SRA recognises that these sites are neglected and in need of SYMPATHETIC and SUSTAINABLE re-development. Alternative proposals, which meet the requirements of MEPA's own policies, have been sent to the Chairman of MEPA for consideration and comment.
