PA 73-18 Office Development

PROJECT DESCRIPTION STATEMENT

Demolition of existing, excavation of site, construction of underground parking area, stores with overlying bank, post office, offices Class 4A, with limited area to be use as Class 2 C for training purposes and archive stores Santa Venera

PA 73/18 ______

May 2019

Table of Contents

1 Introduction 4

2 Background 5

3 Details of the Developer 6 The Applicant 6

4 The Site 7 Site Location 7 Site Selection 8 Present / Surrounding Land uses 9 Land Use Policies 9

5 Proposed Development 11 General objectives of the Development 11 Physical Characteristics of the Development 11 Timing of the Development 13 Usage of Raw Materials 13 Sustainable Energy Use 13 Vehicle Circulation, Servicing and Public Transport 14 Transport Routes to and from Site 14 Employees 14

6 Existing Services 15 Energy efficiency and water conservation measures 16

7 Proposed Construction Operations 17

8 Proposed Environmental Operations on Site 19 Effluent discharges 19 Waste storage and handling 19 Waste recovery or disposal 20

9 Expected Generated Waste Streams 21 The Construction Phase 21 Generation of wastes from the proposed office operations 22 Generation of Municipal wastes 23 Grey and sewerage effluent 24

10 Water Management 25

11 Potential Impacts and Mitigating Measures 27

12 Conclusions 28 2

Appendix A 30 Appendix B 32 Appendix C 34 Appendix D 41

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 This Project Description Statement (PDS) forms part of the requirements established by MEPA with respect to the construction of offices which will house the Lombard Bank operations and a small Malta post office, within a site located at Santa Venera. This application bears planning number PA 73/18 and was submitted by Lombard Bank who has bought this site which was being utlised for industrial proposes. This report follows the terms of reference as supplied by ERA for the re-development of the site

1.2 The design of the proposed project is the responsibility of Perit Patrick Calleja.

1.3 This document outlines the operations and the possible impacts together with the proposed mitigation measures which the bank operations and Malta post office might have in the site area. It also provides guidelines for sound operations of the facility so that the maintenance operations will be sustainable and effective. The Project aims to utilising the site by developing state of the art offices which will be improving the current operations which the bank has in Valletta.

1.4 The report has been formulated as indicated in the guidelines as specified by ERA and has been prepared in accordance with Regulation 5 (1) of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, (S.L. 549.46)

1.5 The objective of this planning application is the redevelopment of the site which will accomodate commerical spaces, a Malta post Office and Banking offices with basement car parking facilities.

2.0 BACKGROUND

2.1 Lombard Bank dates back to 1955 when Lombard North Central in UK started accepting deposits through an agent in Malta, called Gerald Micallef. Mr Micallef had been assisting family and friends with opening accounts in England, which at the time was paying very attractive interest rates.

2.2 This activity was formalised in 1969 when Lombard Bank (Malta) Ltd was registered as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lombard North Central plc, which formed part of the Natwest Bank Group.

2.3 In 1975, the Malta Government purchased 25% of the Bank's ordinary shares and a further 35% was further acquired in 1981, while 40% were retained by Lombard North Central. The Bank became a Public Liability Company in April 1990 and offered its shares to the public. Shares were taken up very quickly, and the issue was closed early and was five times oversubscribed. In 1994 Lombard Bank listed its shares on the Malta Stock Exchange.

2.4 In 1969 the Bank moved to its current office in Republic Street, although occupying only a smaller part of the building. The rest of the property was taken over in 1975. For the first 25 years, these were the only offices, until in 1989, the first branch was inaugurated in Graham Street, Sliema. Other branches were opened in the years to follow, bringing the number of branches up to seven as well as an additional four properties which are used as offices.

2.5 Furthermore, Lombard Bank is the majority shareholder in Malta Post p.l.c., Malta's national postal operator, with over 70% shareholding.

3.0 DETIALS OF THE DEVELOPER

The Applicant

3.1 The proposed development is owned by Lombard Bank Malta p.l.c. (Applicant), who is a listed on the Malta Stock Exchange and is licensed and regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority as a credit institution and as an investment service provider. The Bank has been operating in Malta since 1969 with a number of offices across the island and employing more than 170 people.

3.2 The Bank’s main lending relates to project finance, particular to commercial entities, with deposit taking being the main retail side.

3.3 The Bank is currently seeking to expand its Head Office operations and requires a larger property to cater for this expansion, as well as to relocate functions currently operating from Valletta. A property in St Venera has been purchased for this purpose, which will allow the Bank to reach its customers in a more efficient manner whilst allowing it to respond in line with current and future market needs. This will also allow the grouping of functions operating from different locations to work closer together under one roof.

3.4 The site was purchased by Lombard Bank to construct a centre that would incorporate and centralise services and facilities that are currently carried out at various locations around Malta.

4.0 THE SITE

Site location

4.1 The site is currently in the form of an industrial building and a surface parking area which are located within an area identified for mixed land uses as outlined in the Central Malta Local Plan. It is located between two streets which are at a four-meter difference in level from each other, which means that the main entrance is located at level 0 whilst the back entrance is situated at Level 1.

4.2 The total site comprises a footprint area of circa 1,800 square meters and the proposed development is related to corporate banking and postal activities which are similar to those currently present in the area. The proposed development is going to have the require parking facilities for the employees and the visitors alike.

4.3 Access to the site is provided from Cannon road road which is close proximity to the junction in the area as illustrated in the aerial; photograph below.

Photo 1 An aerial photo of the site location at Santa Venera

Site selection

4.4 The site was being utilized for industrial purposes for several years until the Bank has purchased this site to re-develop it and change its land use for offices instead of the applicant had decided to change the site to a bus depot facility. This is due to a number of factors which are listed hereunder: - • Size • An area, which is being used as part of an office hub infrastructure. • Compatibility with the plannig policies of the Local Plan • An area, which is distant from residential development • Land which is not classified as irrigated agricultural land • Land which is not scheduled for environmental or cultural protection • Land in close proximity to the transport network and to existing infrastructure; • Good logistical operations.

4.5 The site chosen for this proposed banking and Malta post office, falls within these criteria. The existing commitments on site categorises the area as of commenrical/ industrial in nature and therefore the proposed development is compatible with such uses. Since the proposed development will not require additional land take up or acquisition, such site is being considered as the best alternative for such infrastructure.

4.6 The main building envelope parameters were mainly determined through the height policies established for the area. The building is going to be four storeys high on both streets with the top most being heavily receded from the moan entrance due to the difference in level from the front to the back area.

4.7 Moreover, the proposed facility is within easy access of the arterial road.

4.8 The layout of the offices is being planned in such a way that it allows adequate circulation of the vehicles which will be commuting to and from the development and also accessibility for the employees and visitors alike.

Present / Surrounding Land uses

4.9 The site’s surroundings have an industrial commitment since it is located very close to other industrial activities in the area. In fact the site lies near to the Mriehel area which is charaterised by industrial garages open storage facilities, offices and retail outlets.

4.10 Today the entire site area is being subject to a holistic comprehensive development plan which is to be endorsed by MEPA once all the required matter regarding the operations of the foreseen Mriehel industrial hub have been finalised. Though the site is located within an area designated for light industrial / commercial facilities, the applicant will be providing the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the transport requirements for the site operations.

Land use Policies

4.11 Planning policies for the locality of Santa Venera are described in the Central Malta Local Plan, as approved by PA and its Planning Directorate. The site lies within the development zone of the locality within an area which, has been identified as a distinct commercial / Industrial and also mixed usage area due to the number of commercial / industrial and retail outlets which are present within the area. Such land use creates a heavy demand for on street parking. Though the aim of the local plan is to encourage further social, economic and environmental development in the area it also anticipates the increase in vehicular movements in the area. In view of this scenario, the Central Malta Local Plan outlines policies which ensure that sufficient land and support infrastructure are available to accommodate growth and promote the efficient use of land and buildings.

4.12 Policies for the area are outlined in Map SVM 1 of which a copy is presented below.

Site

5.0 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

General objectives of the development

5.1. The present activity which is taking place at this site at Sant Venera concerns the operations which are normally found in industrial / commercial zones which are already present within the area. The proposed development will be seeking a state-of-the-art office block which will be accommodating the banking services industry which is now one of the backbones of our economy. Such proposal will make the development more holistic since it will have a full office setup for a number of organisations which offer different services on the island from the same spot and the site will also be providing car parking spaces for the employees and visitors alike.

Physical Characteristics of the Development

5.2. The application in question concerns a comprehensive plan for a state-of-the-art office block which are furnished by a two-basement level parking area. The purpose of the developer is to ensure that a high standard of office infrastructure is planned and delivered to meet the needs and objectives of the current economic model which the country is adopting. Ultimately an efficient and high-quality infrastructure will be a vital asset in the day to day operations of this building.

5.3. The site is located between two streets which are at a four-meter difference in level from each other, which means that the main entrance is located at Level 0 whilst the back entrance is situated at Level 1.

5.4. The main building envelope parameters were mainly determined through the height policies governing the area. The building is four storeys high on both streets with the topmost storey being heavily receded from the main entrance due to the difference in level from front to back. Table 2 presented below outlines the main land use feature of the proposed development.

Table 2 Proposed Land use

Gross Floor Area - Level Description Sq mts

Level -2 48parking spaces 1,800

17 parking spaces 1,336

Level -1 Storage 168

Archives 296

Entrance area with 6 car spaces

Reception and lobby 124

Banking Hall 150 Level 0 Malta post Branch 131

Office Space 520

Archives 45

Office Space 495 Level 1 Archives 381

Office Space 650 Level 2 Archives 142

Office and Training Space 590

Level 3 Storage 38

Canteen 125

Conference rooms 186

Level 4 Storage 81

Kitchenette 37

Total 7,295

5.5. The proposed development will be having approximately 2,386 square meters of office space. It will be also catering for 71 parking spaces.

Timing of the Development

5.6. The construction of the proposed development will commence as soon as the permits are issued from the Planning Authority.

Usage of Raw Materials

5.7. The proposed development will be using the usual raw materials needed for the construction for the office block. These will consist of concrete blocks, cement, lime, water, steel rods and fuel. After having finished the construction of these facilities, it is expected that there will be an increase in the energy consumption since at present the site will be intensifying in its development.

Sustainable Energy use

5.8. The construction of the bus depot will be constructed with concrete and limestone blocks and the roof with pre-cast concrete beams which will be transported and set up accordingly on site.

5.9. The way the building has been designed will make use of as much natural light as possible. The front facade is retreated at ground floor and first floor so as not to get direct sunlight from the south, but it is all glazed to let in as much reflected natural light as possible. The large courtyard also serves to direct as much natural light as possible into the interior spaces. It also serves as a way of allowing natural ventilation to filter through the interior spaces without having windows leading on to busy streets.

5.10. The roof areas will be reserved for the installation of solar panels, along with space for backup generator and HVAC units. All light fittings and electrical equipment will be energy efficient. All external surfaces will be insulated to reduce solar gain as much as possible. The main facade, which is south facing, will limit solar heat gain through the use of a ventilated cladding system assembled out of natural stone. 13

Vehicle Circulation, Servicing and Public Transport

5.11. The site has adequate circulation space for the required vehicular flows. The present access point from Triq l-Kanun which will be retained, is adequate for the required vehicles which will travel to and from this development.

5.12. The local access road Triq l-Kanun is located just off the Mriehel / Hamrun / Marsa By pass which is the major thorough fare in the area has enough vehicular capacity for the heavy vehicles to access this road network. In addition, the site entrance and exit point is specifically designed for vehicles to be able to move in a forward direction. The access from the main road network has the adequate: • Turning radii • Angles of approach and • Sight lines for the safe entrance / exiting of vehicles and for other road users.

Transport routes to and from site.

5.13. Transport routes to and from the site will vary according to the activity which is being carried out at a particular time. It is foreseen that most of the routes in relation to the proposed development operations will be concentrated within the major arterial and distributor road network of the area, since there are good transportation links. Also a good number of public transport services flow through this road network to serve the central areas of the island. Thus Marsa / Hamrun Bypass will be the specific route which will be used for the transportation of the required services at this development site.

Employees

5.14. It is anticipated that the new development will house 63 employees of which 60 will be working within the banking offices and the remaining 3 employees will be housed at the Malta post office.

6.0 EXISITNG SERVICES

6.1 The site is fully serviced by electricity and is also connected to the water mains and sewerage systems since they are present just a few meters away from the site.

6.2 A rain water reservoir with a total capacity of 346 cubic meters is going to be constructed on the site. Being aware of the present hydrological aspects, the applicant will be concreting all of the site’s surface area in order to prevent any accidental spillages from entering into the aquifer. This was done to protect this scare resource.

6.3 In addition, the following conditions are also being currently taken into consideration and their imposition in full or partially are imperative for the safeguard of this depleting national resource.

1. Toxic materials, chemicals, solvents, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, etc. if handled have to be adequately stored and disposed of from this waste treatment site in accordance with the waste management regulations.

2. The site has to be provided with all hygienic amenities mainly sewerage systems as necessary and furnished by oil separator systems.

3. The rainwater captured in the rain reservoir facilities, will serve as a means to reuse and recycle water for secondary purposes.

4. The whole area will be having impermeable floors and the hard standing have to be done accordingly.

5. All activities within this site are to be controlled so as to reflect the above conditions and any other conditions imposed on them by the relevant authorities.

Such precaution measures will assure that the mean sea level aquifer, which is present in the area, will be adequately protected.

Energy efficiency and water conservation measures

Ventilation and Air conditioning 6.4 The building will use rooftop mounted air handling units to achieve the required air changes in the commercial spaces. Cooling for the space will be done by high efficiency VRF units that will be directly connected to the air handling unit, therefore air supplied the space will be pre-cooled. The air handling unit will have heat recovery measures to reclaim lost heat through ventilating the space. To minimise cooled/heated air the commercial spaces shall have automatic closing doors and air curtains.

6.5 Offices will be cooled by a VRF system and ventilated with a heat recovery system. All apertures shall have electronic contacts to switch off the AC unit in the particular room to reduce energy losses.

Lighting 6.6 Minimum illumination levels will be as stated in relevant CIBSE Standards. All opening to the outside are enough to meet the background minimum illumination levels for human comfort. However, to meet the illumination levels stated previously, an artificial lighting system is to be designed and installed in order to meet the appropriate illumination levels for the different designated areas. All light fittings shall be LED type and have a high energy efficiency rating. The system should be designed and installed as per latest Enemalta, MRA Regulations and IEE Regulations.

Glazing 6.7 All glazing shall be double glazed and have a thermal transmission of 2.8W/ (sqm. K) glazing will have high light transmission properties and low indoor and outdoor reflectance and provide high level of security.

Water conservation 6.8 The building will have an underground reservoir that will be receiving rain water which will be utilized for the irrigation of the landscaping areas of the development. The water from the reservoir will also be used to supply the firefighting system which will be installed on site.

7.0 PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS

7.1 The works on site are expected to take 41 months to complete, and have been divided into the following phases:

Phase 1 – Demolition of existing building Phase 2 – Excavation Works Phase 3 – Construction of two floors below road level Phase 4 – Construction of floors above street level Phase 5 – Electrical and Mechanical installations Phase 6 – Internal & external Finishes

The site operations will be carried out in such a way that all plant, machinery and any other equipment which is audible at the Application Site Boundaries shall only be operated within the Application Site during the following times:

Mondays to Fridays 07.00 – 18.00 Hours

Saturdays 07.00 – 15.30 Hours

Sundays & Public Holidays No Site Operations Allowed

7.2 A gate will be installed at the entrance / exit point located at Triq il-Kanun. which serves as an access point for authorized personnel and construction vehicles, and a site office with related amenities was placed on site. Appropriate signage will be installed at strategic points. A site office with related site amenities shall be placed on site. These facilities and the extent of the hoarding are illustrated in Appendix B.

7.3 It is being anticipated that the development phases of the proposed development will be as follows:-

7.4 Phase 1 – Demolition of existing buildings

7.5 Phase 2 – Excavation Works Excavation of two floors below the lowest level of the site will commence as soon as the clearance is given by the Planning Authority.

7.6 Phase3 – Construction of two floors below road level Work shall then proceed with the construction of substructure comprising of two floors of car Park and ancillary facilities. A tower crane shall be erected within the site boundaries as indicated on diagram annexed in Appendix B.

7.7 Phase 4 – Construction of floors above street level Once the sub-- ‐structure has been completed work shall proceed with the superstructure comprising of thirteen floors. The construction of each particular floor shall be followed with the erection of scaffolding across. The façade, with a protective netting for dust mitigation.

7.8 Phase 5 – Electrical and Mechanical installations

7.9 Phase 6 – Internal & external Finishes

8.0 PROPOSED ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATIONS ON SITE

8.1 In view of the several environmental and also health and safety legislation, the operator has to become familiar with his legal obligations and good environmental practice. It is of utmost importance that the site has to be maintained in a tidy condition, free from litter and waste (whether arising from own activities or external sources). The Site must also be well secured to minimise the opportunity for unauthorised entry.

Effluent discharges

8.2 No discharges to surface waters and/or groundwater shall take place at the installation. Contaminated discharges to the land and foul sewer shall be prohibited unless otherwise permitted by the Water Services Corporation or PA.

8.3 Rainwater shall not be discharged into the sewer. Foul sewer drains will have to be strictly segregated from storm water drains. The operator shall endeavour to collect rainwater in a suitable reservoir or cistern. In fact a water management plan has to be adopted and this is described in detail in section 9 of this report.

8.4 Rainwater has to be segregated from all maintenance areas (including garages and bus wash facility) that are potentially contaminated with oils, fuels or any other chemical products.

8.5 It is to be note that the Sewer Discharge Permit, may be updated from time to time by the Water Services Corporation and the provisions of the Sewer Discharge Control Regulations (LN139 of 2002 as amended by LN378 of 2005 and as may be amended from time to time) and thus the operator will have to abide with these regulations.

Waste storage and handling

8.6 The Operator shall use the best available technology in the design, maintenance and operation of the facility for the storage and handling of waste on site such that there are no

releases to water or land during normal operation and that emissions to air and risk of accidental release to water or land are minimised.

8.7 All wastes shall be stored within designated and controlled storage areas prior to ultimate disposal. Wastes to be recycled shall be stored in a designated container or area and shall not be mixed with other wastes.

Waste recovery or disposal

8.8 The Operator shall be committed to reduce waste generation where possible. Waste generate at this office block shall be recycled, reused or recovered unless technically and/or economically unfeasible. When practical, recyclable wastes shall be segregated to facilitate recycling.

8.9 Disposal of wastes (including rejects, expired products and other wastes) shall be managed in accordance with the legal obligations of the Waste Regulations (Legal Notice 184 of 2011) for appropriate management.

8.10 The Operator shall make use of the services of a registered waste carrier for the transport of waste from the site in accordance with LN 106/2007. Where the company removes wastes using its own transport the vehicle(s) must also be registered as a waste carrier in accordance with LN 106/2007 or as quoted in any other subsequent amendment.

9.0 EXPECTED GENERATED WASTE STREAMS

9.1 A number of solid and liquid waste streams will be generated from the proposed servicing and maintenance operations. Thus, a sustainable waste management plan has to be in place in order to utilize the available resources more efficiently, by treating the received and generated wastes appropriately. In the context of this waste treatment site, it implies that the owner should take responsibility for minimising waste arisings, and favour the use of goods that are, where applicable, suited to recycling. In fact, the number of waste streams which will be generated on site will be recycled at other specialized sites.

9.2 In view of this development proposal, waste streams will be generated namely from two major activities being (1) the construction activities since there has to be the building of the offices and also the garage area. (2) the day to day operations of the bus depot site itself.

9.3 The waste streams can also be identified as solid and liquid wastes. These will be generated at different intervals depending on the operational process which will be taking place within these industrial units.

The Construction Phase

9.4 The initial works of the site will include the demolition of the existing structure followed by the excavation of the site in order to construct the required foundations and a dual level basement parking areas. This should take approximately 8 to 10 weeks to complete using an excavator and 1 or 2 tipper trucks.

9.5 The inert waste which is generated from the site will be transported by trucks to the appropriate designated landfill which is in operation during that period.

9.6 A number of construction related wastes will be generated from the facility during the construction period. The likely generated wastes have been labelled below according to the European Waste Catalogue list of wastes.

Table 3 List of Construction Wastes which are likely to be generated from the Site 17 01 concrete, bricks, tiles and ceramics 17 01 01 concrete 17 01 02 bricks 17 01 03 tiles and ceramics 17 02 wood, glass and plastic 17 02 01 wood 17 02 02 glass 17 02 03 iron and steel 17 04 metals (including their alloys) 17 04 05 iron and steel 17 04 07 mixed metals soil (including excavated soil from contaminated sites), stones and 17 05 dredging spoil 17 05 04 soil and stones other than those mentioned in 17 05 03

17 09 other construction and demolition waste mixed construction and demolition wastes other than those 17 09 04 mentioned in 17 09 01, 17 09 02 and 17 09 03

9.7 It is not foreseen that there will be generation of hazardous wastes from the construction processes. Should there be the generation of such wastes, these will be disposed accordingly at the designated and licensed inert waste landfills.

Generation of Wastes from the proposed office operations

9.8 Waste generation from the operations of this office block will be having a top priority on this site. Each generated waste stream has to be carefully disposed of in accordance with the national and European waste legislation. There are specific waste classifications for such waste streams which have to be adhered to as required.

9.9 The use of List of Wastes Regulations codes is a legal requirement of the European Union. The legislation requires that a waste holder (producer, carrier or disposer) takes all reasonable steps to ensure there is no unauthorised deposit, treatment, keeping or disposal

of controlled wastes, that it does not escape from their control, and is only transferred to and from authorised individuals dealing with the matter.

9.10 It also requires waste to be described in a way that permits its safe handling and management and that any transfer of waste is accompanied by a written description of the waste including a LOW code. In addition to the code and its associated description, any waste should also be described in a way that identifies any properties relevant to its handling.

9.11 The List of Wastes (LOW) Regulations 2005 transposed the European Waste Catalogue (EWC) provides codes for all hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. Applicable sections for the office operations have been listed in Table 4 below.

Table 4 List of Wastes which are likely to be generated from the Site 15 01 packaging (including separately collected municipal packaging waste) 15 01 01 paper and cardboard packaging 15 01 02 plastic packaging 15 01 04 metallic packaging 15 01 06 mixed packaging 15 01 07 glass packaging

Municipal wastes (Household waste and similar commercial, industrial and 20 institutional wastes) including separately collected fractions 20 01 separately collected fractions (except 15 01) 20 01 01 paper and cardboard 20 01 02 glass 20 01 08 biodegradable kitchen and canteen waste 20 01 25 edible oil and fat

9.12 All the wastes which will be generated on site have to be recycled appropriately as explained in section 8 of this project description statement. These wastes have to be stored in specific containers within this site.

Generation of Municipal Wastes 9.13 It is also foreseen that the facility will also generate municipal waste from the ancillary facilities of the site. Waste will be generated from the office, staff room, kitchenette, toilets, showers and stores.

9.14 The proposed activities on site will only generate a modest amount of municipal waste, namely waste from the offices and from the kitchenette. All municipal waste will be collected and temporarily stored in an on-site skip, which will be taken to a licensed landfill or other appropriate facility once full. Where possible, separation of waste into different recyclable streams will be attempted.

Grey and sewerage effluent 9.15 Grey water and sewage effluent will also be generated from the toilets and the showers. All such effluents will be discharged directly to the main sewer to which the site will be connected to.

10.0 WATER MANAGEMENT

10.1 The facility shall also cater for a planned water management system to handle clean rain water. All areas of the proposed development will have a sealed drainage system. There will be one systems for the management of water which will be used for washings and for firefighting. The water management system, which is being adopted, is adequate enough to divert, collect and reuse or dispose of all the rain water received. Storm water management has been designed to furnish the site with the necessary water demands.

10.2 Diagram 7 below describes the water cycles flows which will be ongoing on this site. The roofs of the proposed buildings on site will have downspouts to channel the water into the designated underground water reservoirs which have been designed specifically for this project.

Rain Water

Stored in the on Infiltration & site reservoirs Runoff Evapotranspiration

Water is used for Sewerage Washings, Systems Irrigation & Fire fighting

Diagram 7 Water cycle which will be adopted for the proosed office development 25

10.3 It is also foreseen that the open space areas will be also connected to this rain water drainage system. The stored rain water is being used for washing and irrigation purposes on the site as necessary. It is to be noted that this rain water will not be treated since water coming from the roofs is clean uncontaminated water.

10.4 The reservoirs have a capacity of 346 cubic meters which are more than adequate for the site to meet the necessary demand.

10.5 The waste water system will be directly connected to the main sewerage system in the area.

11.0 POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

11.1 The potential impacts of the proposed development are illustrated in Table 5 below.

Table 5 Potential Impacts and required mitigation measures for the construction and operational impacts of the development Impact Potential Impacts Description of Impact Mitigation Measures. Classification The site is self contained and is surrounded by other industrial Visual impact None None deemed necessary developments. At present the site's land use is industrial. The area has been subject to an The area is full committed for industrial / industrial development which has warehousing development and will not Impacts on ecology None been in operation for several years. be encroaching on the surrounding Thus no measures are deemed areas. necessary.

No impacts on geology are anticipated. Impacts on geology Only very excavations for the basement None None deemed necessary. parking facilities is envisaged.

Impacts on The area is devoid of any features of None None deemed necessary. archaeology archaeological importance. Noise and vibration The site will be only be used for offices None None deemed necessary. impacts thus there will be no noise generation.

The nature of the proposed operations will not generate any dust since the Impacts on air quality activities which will be carried out within None None deemed necessary. / dust generation the proposed development is only related to office development.

The facility will be only utilising limited Artificial lighting artificial lighting since the building has None None deemed necessary. arrangements been designed to utlised natural light. The existing building is furnished with the required electricity supplies. The facility will also be trying to take the Energy Positive None deemed necessary. opportunity to harvest solar energy to be use for the electricity requirements of the facility. A water reservoir will be The proposed development will be constructed within the site are to Water Management having water harvesting facilities in Positive store rain water and utilise it order to utilise better this resource. accordingly. This proposed development will be Job Creation retaining more or less the same number Positive None deemed necessary. of jobs. The facility will also be applying the Recycling / Re use of recycling schemes which are already in Positive None deemed necessary. Wastes place as per waste management policies. 27

12.0 CONCLUSIONS

12.1 The site is located within the development zone boundary of Santa Venera and has a direct access from Triq il-Kanun. The site lies within the development zone of the locality within an area which, has been identified as a distinct commercial / Industrial and also mixed usage area due to the number of commercial / industrial and retail outlets which are present within the area.

12.2 The development proposal concerns the change of use from an industrial building to offices. It is planed that the existing structure will be demolished and also excavated in order to accommodate the required parking spaces for the proposed land use.

12.3 The proposed building design features a double height entrance space which welcomes the visitors into the building and also provides four car ports at ground floor level for customers to use. This space gives a light feel to the streetscape and provides respite from the dense and continuous building line that exists in this street. Within this volume, ATM services will be located as well as the entrance to the proposed Malta post branch.

12.4 The vertical slats located at the entrance space will give a heightened sense to the building and emphasise the verticality of the space while at the same time providing rhythm along the building line. Proposed to be clad in bronze or Cor-ten steel, these vertical elements will give the building a formal yet elegant appearance. This idea is to have these elements continue into the building envelope and they serve as a break in the cladding that determine size and position of windows. Due to the property being south facing, openings on this facade were designed to minimise solar gain. Floor-to-ceiling slit windows will allow sunlight to reflect off the cladding and filter through the space.

12.5 The proposal also takes care for the water and waste management of the site so that such resources will be appropriately handled. In addition the applicant has the opportunity to harvest solar energy to render the office operations more sustainable.

12.6 The conversion of the existing building to offices will have more or less the same vehicular trip generation whilst the same building foot print will be retained. Such change of use is not like to cause environmental impacts to the surroundings of the site area as the vehicular generation is already present on the network.

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D

Photo 1 The frontage of the Site area on Triq il-Kanun

Photo 2 Existing conditions of Triq il-Kanun