A meeting organised by Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar and the Sliema Residents Association brought together residents outraged at the granting of a 14-storey hotel in Zimmermann Barbaro Lane, which is only 2m wide at that point, which they have now decided to jointly appeal.

FAA explained that this Class 3B hotel with adjacent self-catering suites will have a huge impact on the neighbourhood, cutting off light and air into surrounding houses, overshadowing solar panels and the large garden behind it.

The NGO stated that the 178-bed accommodation will generate some 1,000 vehicle trips a day for tourists, staff and suppliers, producing toxic emissions which will be trapped in an urban canyon, yet no Environment Impact Assessment has been carried out.

Outside catering facilities will disturb residents further with noise pollution in the alley, while nighttime noise is expected to echo from the rooftop pool bar, FAA said.

As Astrid Vella, FAA Coordinator pointed out, this hotel falls within a residential area, where the Local Plan does not allow the development of hotels. It also violates SPED regulations, as it does not identify, protect and enhance the residential amenity and character of the area.

Vella said that in fact, ”both the developers and the Planning Authority ignored the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage’s insistence that the traditional old houses on Zimmermann Barbaro Lane be preserved.”

Zimmermann Barbaro Lane is a dead-end road for vehicles, since Bisazza Street at a lower level, connects via steps, while the lane is too narrow to allow cars to turn or pass abreast, making traffic almost impossible there. ”In spite of this, Transport Malta approved this major project,” said MS Vella.

It was pointed out that to reach the hotel, vehicles will have to approach by circling through Qui is-Sana to St Anthony Street, adding to Sliema’s general traffic congestion and pollution, and turning narrow St Anthony Street into a main road, exacerbating the gridlock at the Ferries.

Ms Vella stressed that, ”all this contravenes regulations to safeguard environmental health from air and noise pollution and will contribute to an increase in pollution-related diseases like asthma, hypertension, coronary problems and cancer.”

Residents were infuriated that these points were systematically ignored at the Planning Authority hearing that dismissed all the valid objections. “Why is the Planning Authority approving projects that violating all planning regulations?” one resident asked, to which it was pointed out that ”the project architect is the Minister of Tourism’s brother.”

The meeting also highlighted that this hotel will destroy almost half of a large green area hidden below the houses in Tigne Street, where, it was revealed, a fresh-water stream runs to this day, hence the name of the adjacent alley ‘Triq Fawwara.’

FAA said that residents were outraged to learn that while such areas were protected as green enclaves in other towns, Sliema and St Julian’s were systematically deprived of such designations in 2006, ”in order to allow developers a free hand.”

They condemned the Authorities’ duplicity in talking of Climate Change measures while destroying the very green areas and water sources that mitigate Climate Change.

Tigne Street residents pointed to the six other major hotels planned in the area, including the massive Townsquare project, in addition to 110 tourist accommodation permits granted since 2013, saying the situation has become untenable.

FAA said that it has been campaigning for Carrying Capacity Studies since 2018 and it has now been revealed that the Planning Authority has carried out such a study, however it has not been released to the public.

Dr Josie Muscat concluded the meeting by calling on all Sliema residents to come together under the the Sliema Residents Association in order to make their voices heard by the Authorities and take further steps to assert their right to a healthy environment and quality of life.

Photo: FAA – Zimmermann Hotel cross-section

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