But despite major opposition to the project called ‘Forbes’ 1848’, the commission approved outline planning with a vote of eight in favour, one against and one abstention.

Gamma Architects, encharged with the 78-apartment development, told the commission that the ‘really affordable’ properties started at £3,700 per square metre and fell within the scope of Gibraltar’s property market.

“These are really affordable,” said architect Ruth Massias Greenberg. “If you compare pounds for square metre for King’s Wharf or Quay 29, they have been going for something like £6,000 per square metre. We are starting at £3,700, so you can have a four bedroom for half-a-million pounds.”

Ms Greenberg said that the target market was people who may have had a first government home and were thinking of upgrading to a larger one.

NOT AFFORDABLE

However, Janet Howitt from the Environmental Safety Group disagreed and said that it was not affordable, to which the response was that ‘affordability was subjective’.

“Affordability is all relative, so even if they were at £100,000, it would not be affordable to some,” Ms Greenberg said. “It is subjective, but I think that within the scope of the market in Gibraltar, they are relatively affordable.”

But opposition did not stop there as a resident for 30 years at North View Terraces had numerous concerns on loss of natural light, ventilation and too many high-risers in the area.

“It makes me laugh when they refer to these properties as affordable,” the objector said. “I know that the entrance to Gibraltar will be enhanced by this beautiful tall building, but we tend to forget that most people come to Gibraltar to see the Rock and not a glass building. I hear complaints all the time from visitors that they need to go out in the bay in order to see Gibraltar.”

The objector said that, although the building may have been set back by seven metres, its balconies will extend three metres, causing a lack of space for his and his neighbours’ properties.

“Cars will be three metres away from people’s windows,” he said before referring to the number of tobacco smugglers using the current car park in the area. “I am sure smugglers will be happy to use the underground car park.”

Furthermore, the objector accused construction workers around Gibraltar of working at all hours seven days a week.

“We ask the government to not allow this,” he said. “With all the construction work going on we refer to DTC as the Devil’s Stinky Tower. How will we cope with that extra rubbish from the construction site?”

SMOTHERED PROPERTIES

Another objector said he was being forced out of his property because of the loss of light he will experience. He spoke of how he had brightened up his apartment through some alterations and he would be sent back to square one as a result of this high-rise building.

A late arrival came in the form of a third objector, the owner of the Miami Beach Bar that will have a ramp leading to the second floor parking over his building.

“It is possible that the roof could collapse,” he said. “The building is encroaching on ours and placing a ramp on top of our roof would be extremely dangerous. There will definitely be an accident and we are actually putting workers there at risk of death.”

DTC FACELIFT

Ms Greenberg said that the building would serve as a new entrance and archway into Gibraltar that would be ‘something to be proud of’.

“We are seeing the changing face of DTC and high risers in this area will relieve old town,” she said. “If there is an area in Gibraltar to increase density and height, it is DTC”

The property will include a themed cafe on Forbes Cave and commercial space on the ground floor, something the architect said was lacking in DTC and will make a big difference.

The first floor will be reserved for office use, while levels two and three will provide 55 car spaces for residents.

From the fourth to the thirteenth level, there will be seven apartments per floor and the penthouse will have four-bedroom apartments and terraces. There will also be an 18-metre-long swimming pool.

At the moment the current design accommodates 26 free parking spaces, but Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Garcia insisted that not a single public parking space be lost as a result of the development.

The World Heritage Site Office said that there could be Neanderthal and early human remains in area, so an archaeological study must be done. Furthermore, there is also a high possibility of 18th and 19th century items as well as unexploded WWII shells in the area.

The building, in its current design, will exceed the 80% plot ratio margin, but it was pointed out by the commission that certain projects were approved that surpassed that figure.

Carl Viagas made the point that the commission should follow the government’s development plan that states that DTC is to become a residential area.

“If we want to be a sustainable society, we need to build.”

24-05-18 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR