Massive residential block of 114 apartments proposed for Pietà

A massive residential block of 114 apartments, spread over six floors with underlying shops and garages, has been proposed for a spot adjacent to Fatima church at Pietà, replacing two villas and a farmhouse. The project application was submitted to the Planning Authority last May. It is currently undergoing the internal screening process and receiving representations from entities and people. The applicant, Stephen Falzon, is proposing to demolish Villa Gauci and The Orange Grove as well as a dilapidated farmhouse in Triq Santa Monika and Triq id-Duluri in Pietà to construct an office, three retail outlets, 114 one-two- and three-bedroomed apartments including penthouses, a botanic garden, a communal pool and 44 garages over three levels, 25 car spaces, a substation and a refuse area. The only representation received so far by the Planning Authority was from the Environment and Resources Authority which asked for more information from the applicant and architect in order to assess the project from an environmental point of view and to determine whether the proposal requires any further studies. It asked for the total gross floor area of the proposed development according to...