A New 11-Storey Hotel Is Coming To Sliema Despite Planning Case Officer’s Proposal For Refusal

A new 11-storey hotel will be built Sliema, after the Planning Authority overruled a recommendation by its own case officer.

The development in Triq Guze Howard was recommended for refusal by the Planning Authority’s Case Officer due to its going specifically against the Height Limitation Adjustment Policy For Hotels.

“The proposal runs counter to the Height Limitation Adjustment Policy For Hotels (2014) which allows the additional height of only two floors over and above the height limitation permitted in the Local Plan provided that ‘the resultant design features a high-quality product in keeping with the urban context and no blank walls are created’,” the case officer said.

Additionally, he warned that the proposed treatment to the blank party walls will not effectively mitigate the appearance of the resultant exposed blank party walls and will negatively impact on the site’s broader context.

However, the Planning Authority yesterday overruled the recommendation and approved the hotel, which is the brainchild of the business group J & J Holdings.

Environmental NGO Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) condemned the decision, noting concerns raised by Sliema residents that the development would further aggravate traffic congestion in the area, increase pollution, throw their homes into deep shade and ‘uglify’ the area.