NGOs protest against demolition of 155-year-old house in Sliema

Heritage NGOs are up in arms as the Planning Authority prepares to approve the destruction of yet another 150-year old townhouse, this time in one of the oldest parts of Sliema.

The house in St Mary’s Street, part of a well-preserved row of historic houses marred only by one newer development, will make way for an eight-storey apartment block, which will become the highest building in the street.

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage has said the house, built in 1861, has historical value and should be retained, but the PA case officer is recommending permit approval.

Some 40 separate objections have been filed against the development, including by the Sliema local council, environmental organisations, and neighbouring residents.

Speaking at a press conference outside the property yesterday, architect Tara Cassar, environment officer Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar, said Sliema was simply the most extreme example of a process of destruction taking place in several towns and villages.

“What is the point of expert consultations if they are routinely ignored?” Ms Cassar asked. “What is the point of the objection procedure if comments from experts and the public are discarded, and the only thing taken into account are the PA’s own policies?

“If it is the policies that are allowing this, then the policies must be revised. The PA should not be there for developers but for the general public.”

Sliema has seen a marked increase in applications for apartment blocks and guesthouses in place of traditional townhouses over the last year, despite the consistent objections of the local council and environmental groups.

Many of the developments were approved by the PA despite the complaints, with the authority commonly citing existing apartment blocks in the same area as evidence that the row is already ‘committed’.

Sliema Heritage Society spokesman and architect Edward Said highlighted the inconsistency of the SCH in its objections to applications, and called for clarification as to the criteria it adopted in deciding which buildings were worthy of protection.

“This year will be a dark year for Sliema,” he said. “We have already seen several applications targeting buildings within the Urban Conservation Area, but also historic and equally valuable buildings in other areas. Sliema should not be treated as a lost cause because of the mistakes of the past. There is still a lot that must be preserved.”