Two Flat Bastion Road developments greenlit by DPC

Two developments at Flat Bastion Road have been given the go-ahead by the Development and Planning Commission.

Both will see the demolition and replacement of existing buildings which have fallen into disrepair.

The two sites that are now set to be redeveloped lie within sight of each other in the Upper Town.

On 27-31 Flat Bastion Road, the proposal is to build a new residential development with ten homes, set back upper levels, and a green roof.

The project was previously deferred, with a revised design going before the DPC.

An objector said the six-storey project was too tall for the Upper Town, and also highlighted that it would cease to be part of the housing stock.

The Environmental Safety Group, meanwhile, pointed out that the initial expressions of interest call for the site was for refurbishment, and not demolition.

Janet Howitt said this raised wider implications for the area, while the Heritage Trust's Claire Montado said despite efforts to reduce the height, it was still in her view an overdevelopment.

The applicant said a structural report ruled the building was too dilapidated to be kept.

Town Planning recommended approval, on the grounds that the applicant had addressed their recommendations and adapted the project's massing to the cascading building levels of the area.

It was approved with eight votes in favour, two against, and one abstention.

Just up the road, at 24-30 Flat Bastion Road, the proposal was to demolish a three storey building and create a five storey building with four town houses, three flats and parking.

A condition of the development was that three existing tenants would be rehoused.

Town Planning said the applicant had been steered through a number of revisions to the project, and that the revised height and massing worked well with the streetscape.

They recommended approval subject to conditions including the retention and reinstallation of heritage features.

It was greenlit with eight in favour and three abstentions.

Elsewhere, a series of amendments to the large-scale Elysium development on Bayside Road were approved unanimously - including changes to the apartment mix, increasing the number of units from 313 to 369.

A proposal for a permanent platform for tables and chairs to be built on Castle Street as part of El Kasbah restaurant was rejected, with eight against, one in favour, and two abstentions.

And a full application for a social club on 55 Europa Road was approved, with ten in favour and one against.