Photo: Chris Sant Fournier.
Sliema residents propose to create 'low-rise' area
The Sliema Residents Association is calling for the town's local plan to be modified, as it continues to crusade to protect and rehabilitate the 140-year old Villa Bonici and its gardens.
The association recently presented a report to MPs elected in the 10th district, which includes Sliema, as they walked into Parliament.
The report proposes changes to the North Habour Local Plan to limit the construction height in the area to a maximum five storeys.
"This area is the only part of the Sliema shoreline that has not yet become high-rise and we are proposing that it should be conserved as a low-rise area," reads the document.
This, it continues, would preserve Villa Bonici's large garden as a green lung and allow the ventilation of the town's centre, among others.
The association also proposed scheduling parts of the villa's architecture, including its arched entrance from St Agatha Street. The villa has another façade on Manwel Dimech Street.
It added that it had grave doubts as to why the Malta Environment and Planning Authority had changed the villa's previous status as an urban conservation area to an unlimited-height one.
This, it said, was done between 2000 and 2006 without any consultation when preparing the last plan.
The association said its proposals were intended to preserve the identity of the villa, its farmhouse and terraced gardens. The concept was to create an open space for the fulfilment and enjoyment of the public and to rehabilitate the existing building to provide much-needed public facilities including a home for the elderly and off-street parking.
The proposal to convert Villa Bonici into a home for the elderly was also recently made during a meeting with Environment Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco, who, however, pointed out that the fact the villa was private property had to be respected.
The report was also accompanied by a detailed architectural and historical analysis of the villa, which is the only remaining large undeveloped space since Tignè was sold for development.
It was built in 1870 by the Sixth Marquis of San Vincenzo Ferreri and the Fifth Baron of Qlejgħa, Emmanuele Testaferrata Bonici Għaxaq, at a time when Sliema was changing from a small fishing village into a fashionable seaside resort.
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Peter Gatt
Mar 30th 2010, 22:09
@MBorg,
You dont really have to donate your land to the public. Responsible and good planning of limited resources such as land is for the common good.
100 years ago this was done despite the fact that the people at those times did not have the technical resources and knowledge. EIA's did not exist. Nevertheless there existed an architectural harmony in our towns ( including Sliema) with two storey houses with good sized enclaves, “eco friendly” etc etc etc. And today , with all the technical superiority, we are only good at building slums, with tumble driers in a country where the sun is out nearly all year round, air conditioners galore etc!! That is the irony of it all.
Now that the harm has been done, we need a bit of fresh air. Who will pay for it.? .the tax payers! How?? ....
Michael Neville Cassar
Mar 30th 2010, 19:32
Unless the people stand up for what they believe, Sliema is more becoming a horrible site
nothing can bring back the beauty that once was in Tower road. Now it is shaping like (Honk Kong Malta)
Joe Morana
Mar 30th 2010, 19:22
One wonders why some readers seem to obstinately ignore MEPA's own Northern Harbours Local Plan (2006), which makes the most pertinent references to Sliema as an overdeveloped locality that cannot accomodate further development , to MEPA's own Air Quality Monitoring data and the Malta Air Quality Plan which state in no uncertain terms that air polution in Sliema exceeds the EU safeguard levels and ADT's (now Transport Malta) reports regarding the Sliema's inadequate roads infrastructure which cannot cope with present traffic flows much less with future demands.
MBorg
Mar 30th 2010, 18:26
Maybe one of these civil minded persons who live close to Villa Bonici can offer a part or all of their property to be turned into a public garden. It is so very easy for some to dictate to others what they should or shoud not do with their property but woe betide whoever touches their properties.
Joe Azzopardi
Mar 30th 2010, 15:45
The Sliema Residents Association has my full support in this issue. If they succeed it will be a victory for all of Malta.
J.Borg
Mar 30th 2010, 15:35
I live very close to this area and it should be turned into a public garden not a block of flats. Some green in sliema would be a great idea seeing that all you inhale in that area is exaust and dirt from cars and neighboring building sites.
adrian gatt
Mar 30th 2010, 12:55
@ c cassar
the 5 storeys are the present buildings at Ix-Xatt by the kebab shop, i.e. Charella Home and the forestals building.
adrian gatt
Mar 30th 2010, 12:45
Click on the following link to see a report (in 2 parts) on Villa Bonici prepared by Sliema Residents Association - http://www.sra.org.mt/reports_chronological_order
For more information on the works of SRA go to www.sra.org.mt
C Cassar
Mar 30th 2010, 12:02
5 storeys is not low rise. Low rise is 2 storeys and no more.
Charles Said-vassallo
Mar 30th 2010, 11:32
Doubts were first cast on the validity of the title of San Vincenzo Ferreri in 1901. See
http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobility/marchesedisanvincenzoferreri.htm In 1870 the Marchese Giorgio Crispo
Barbaro in his âMaltese Nobility and the Maltese Gentry holding Foreign Titlesâ reports that the holder of the
title of Culeja (Qlejjgha) was then held by Francesco Gauci Bonnici.
http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/maltesenobility/baronediqlejjgha.htm