Planned elderly care home ‘totally unacceptable’, ESG says
The ESG has called the proposed elderly care home in Bishop Caruana Road “totally unacceptable”, adding it is “very disappointed” the project was given the green light by the Development and Planning Commission.
The ESG said it recognises the need for the provision of an elderly care home, but believes the project is being rushed and questions need to be answered.
The group will be calling on the Government to review the development.
The ESG cited various concerns for going against this project.
It said the development must be reviewed because the height of the building will significantly diminish the access to light of elderly residents living in Bishop Canilla House.
The ESG expressed a number of concerns at the DPC meeting itself focusing on design and called for the need for a holistic plan of the entire site, and landscaping at the ground floor which is a requirement for all developments under the current development plan.
The development is being described as a sustainable project, but the ESG would like to see how this has been evaluated, from the sourcing of materials to transporting of these, and a full account of how it will meet the highest energy rating, an objective the Gibraltar Government is now seeking from all developments.
“We currently have a project that seeks to create a green environment on top of a very tall building in a wind-prone location that will also limit space for solar panels, which are envisaged to form part of the plan and its sustainability compliance,” the ESG said.
“The ESG holds its own views about trading with China but is focusing only on the environmental aspects here.”
The group believes better designs exist, sourced from countries with a better environmental record than China, without such large transport costs involved, to deliver a more suitable and sustainable facility for the elderly.