The Planning Authority has signed off on the rezoning of a site overlooking Wied Speranza in Mosta as a residential area.

The site, which was brought into the development zone under the controversial 2006 rationalisation exercise, is currently occupied by a garage complex.

The complex is currently subject to a €4.8 million promise of sale agreement between the current owners, the Sant family, and CF Estates, a publicly listed company.

The company was previously linked to property magnate Joseph Portelli, who held a 30 per cent stake. However, in December the company announced that the other shareholders – Stephen Falzon, Clifton Cassar, Duncan Micallef and Frank Agius – would be buying out his stake for around €6.65 million.

During the Planning Board meeting to decide on the Planning Control application PC/45/23, the PA’s case officer noted that the area is already built up, and is surrounded by residential development.

An extract from Google Maps showing the site, taken from the case officer report

He said the applicant that presented proof that 94 per cent of the landowners had given their consent for the development – much higher than the 75 per cent required by law.

However, a resident objector pushed back on the proposal, arguing that “the proposals is effectively inside the valley.”

While admitting that the application had received 389 representations from the public, many of them expressing concerns about the project’s proximity to the valley and its ecosystem, the case officer said the site’s inclusion in the 2006 rationalisation exercise effectively tied the PA’s hands.

“While are representees have been noted, they do not apply in this context since this change is provided for in the Local Plan and Rationalisation exercise.”

The low-lying single-storey buildings in picture for part of the existing complex of garages.

The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) said that “given that the proposed interventions will be limited within the Development Zone, no particular environmental concerns are being envisaged for this proposal.”

The site will be separated from the rest of the valley, which lies in an Outside Development Zone (ODZ) area, with public open space that provides frontage to the new residences.

The approved rezoning scheme. The green on the left is the public open space, with access only allowed for emergency vehicles. 

The case officer said that since the public open space faces the valley within ODZ, it can “thus serve the public as a belvedere.”

A corner of the site directly abutting the ODZ area will include a 3m-wide private open space to limit the visual impact.

The case officer therefore recommended the application to zone the site as a residential area for approval, with the PA Board voting unanimously in favour of the change.