PA approves demolition of one of St Julian’s oldest buildings

The Planning Authority’s planning directorate has recommended the demolition of one of the oldest buildings in St Julian’s.

The townhouse, which is located on Kirxa Hill, will be demolished to make room for the construction of a 10-room guest house.

MaltaToday reported that Flimkien għal-Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) had told the PA that “the building in question is an early townhouse linked to St Julian’s historic heritage and distinctiveness, and should be protected by virtue of its inherent value.”

The Sliema Local Council is also against the development due to concerns of over-development in the area, and requested that the building adhere to the two-floor height limit established in the urban conservation area (UCA) regulations.

The Sliema Heritage Society, who also objected to the development, wrote on social media that “the proposed destruction of what is one of Sliema-St Julian’s oldest buildings along the historic Telgħa tal-Kirxa has been recommended for approval after heritage NGOs representations were dismissed as invalid! The application will see the complete demolition of this lovely building (the façades of which can easily be preserved) and the construction of a pseudo-vernacular replacement with two extra floors for use as a guest house.

“Another barbaric case of destruction in the name of tourism. Very disappointing of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage to endorse this... our society will fight this to the end, while pushing for more scheduling of threatened historic sites.”

The Design Advisory Committee and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage did not object to the proposed development.