Be the first to comment!Gozitan NGO urges public to object to proposed Gozo Heritage development
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Gozitan NGO Ghawdix, is urging the public to join with residents and other NGOs and object to an application, which it said, if approved, “will have an indelible detrimental effect on the Gozo Heritage building in Triq L-Imgarr, and the surrounding area of Ghajnsielem.”
The applicant is Karkanja Developments and the deadline for submitting representations is midnight on Friday, the 24th of March.
The application itself proposes additions and alterations to the existing vernacular building through: proposed underlying parking; additions and alterations at ground and first floor levels to provide recreational/exhibition space (Class 2A and 2B), whilst retaining existing Class 2B and 4C use; proposed Class 4D at ground floor; proposed Class 2A residential accommodation at first floor level; proposed Class 2A residential accommodation with ancillary facilities on the proposed overlying four floors.
Ghawdix argued that the proposed project disregards aspects of the local plans, which clearly point out that in that particular area all development should follow GZ-EDGE-1.
“This policy states that any development overlooking the ODZ areas, should strive to emulate in terms of massing, colour, texture, building height and the traditional architectural grammar found at the urban edge of the Gozitan settlements,” the NGO said.
It went on to say that “while the proposed takes into consideration the traditional architectural grammar, this is overly overshadowed and rendered redundant by the complete failure to respect the height of the neighbouring buildings.”
It insisted that “as a whole therefore, the proposed does not respect the context of the neighbouring area, as all the dwellings in the two streets which the proposed building will feature in are all two storeys high whereas this application is proposing four more floors in addition to the existing ones.”
The NGO warned that “if approved, this massing will lead to the destruction of the iconic skyline from Xewkija to Ghajnsielem.”
It also said that “if approved, this development will set a detrimental precedent, opening the way for further destructive development in that area and will bring the complete destruction of another green lung between the dwellings.”
