The Planning Authority has approved plans for a hotel forming part of Joseph Portelli’s Mercury Towers complex in Paceville to rise by an additional floor, to 20 storeys.

The change means that the hotel will see an addition of 10 rooms and a rooftop swimming pool. 

The authority also approved a number of design variations in the already-built 33-storey main tower, including sanctioning an increase in the height of suites by 900mm, a reduction in the number of residential units from 428 to 419, the introduction of an access point and a glass balustrade at the roof level and the conversion of part of the basement level into a waste collection station, resulting in the loss of 11 parking spaces. 

Other changes from the previously approved plans include the reorganisation of an underground space previously earmarked as a back-of-house area into an entertainment arena featuring a go-kart track and related amenities and shifting the location of the gym from the hotel to the basement. 

In approving the application, the Planning Board imposed conditions recommended by the planning directorate, including a bank guarantee of €232,948 to ensure adherence to permit conditions, as well as a second bank guarantee of €20,732 to be paid to the Building and Construction Agency to ensure that the road is properly restored after works are finished. 

The board voted unanimously to approve the application. 

The historic Mercury House in 2019 when work of the development started. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Approved in 2020, the high-rise was commissioned by the Gozitan developer and designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. It lies on top of the still-existing 19th-century GO telephone exchange building - Mercury House.  

The hotel portion of the building is set to be operated by the luxury five-star chain ME by Meliã.

Mercury Towers is set to open in a limited capacity next month and will become fully operational by the end of next year.