One Of Xlendi’s Last Boathouses Will Soon Become Apartment Block
One of the last remaining boathouses in Xlendi Bay will soon form part of the sea of apartment blocks that now litter the once-picturesque town.
An application to turn the quaint building, which currently houses a restaurant called The Boathouse, into a five-storey apartment block right on the seafront has already been approved by the Planning Authority.
The plans will see the current building demolished, with a restaurant replaced the ground floor and first floor levels, with four overlying apartments.
A case officer initially said that the application should be approved, but reversed the decision once concerns over a lack of parking spaces were addressed. The applicant will now fork out €23,000 towards the PA’s Commuted Parking Payment Scheme.
The plans, it should be noted, are in line with current policy. However, the project represents the final nail of a coffin for Xlendi, which has gone from a quaint seaside village to an overdeveloped mess in the space of a few decades.
Despite the constant development, Xlendi has never actually had a master plan with the Gozo Ministry still working on finalising plans for the area.
Still, it has not stopped development in the area, with Gozitan construction magnate Joseph Portelli currently using piecemeal applications to see a mega-development approved in the area.
The application is led by property magnate Joseph Portelli and his two partners, Mark Agius and Daniel Refalo. The development is about 13 storeys high – consisting of a mix of a hotel, apartments and offices.
It remains to be seen whether a master plan will ever be published. Whatever the case, it seems like it’s coming decades too late.
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Can Xlendi still be saved?
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