Fort St Angelo restoration could get EU funds

The dilapidated Fort St Angelo in Vittoriosa could get another injection of cash to restore it completely and transform it into a major tourist attraction if an application for EU funds goes through.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism plans to apply for financial assistance under the European Regional Development Fund to rehabilitate the entire fort in Vittoriosa, which is at serious risk of collapsing.

But it is still not clear how much the EU grant would amount to even though the planning authority and heritage organisations said the restoration bill would easily run into millions of euro. A government spokesman said it was too early to quantify the funding because it all depended on the plans that would be submitted.

However, it is understood that the money could cover most of the restoration job.

The fort, inaccessible to the public at the moment, was closed off after dangerous cracks appeared in the stonework in July. Heritage Malta, who is responsible for the fort, filed an urgent application for emergency repairs.

Following various appeals from heritage organisations, the government announced a €1.5 million fund for emergency repairs in the Budget speech and another €22 million were allocated for the fort's restoration a week later, during the Budget debate on the allocations for the ministry responsible for culture.

If granted, the EU funds would be used to restore and re-open the whole fort, transforming it into a cultural heritage attraction with heritage trails, historical re-enactments and a three-dimensional presentation for visitors.

In a call for expressions of interest published last week, the government invited organisations to submit detailed plans, which would include quotes, designs and studies.

But restoring the fort will not be an easy task. The €1.5 million are just a stopgap measure to restore parts of the main gate and the bottom part ramp, part of which developed deep fissures. The situation is so bad in this area that architects have installed small sheets of glass across the cracks in the stonework, warning those within the fort to evacuate if these break.

Also, the roof of the tunnel beneath the road that leads to the fort collapsed, leaving a gaping hole several metres deep. The stonework has been worn away by the weather and is heavily damaged in some parts by the sea spray. Parts of the fortified walls are being badly damaged by tree roots that have become deeply embedded in the bastions.

Left to face the elements and the ravages of time, the abandoned state of the fort has long been highlighted and condemned by heritage organisations, which called on the government to act before it was too late. In November, the planning authority board even carried out an onsite visit, instead of their weekly board meetings, to inspect the extent of the damage.