Gap welcomes authority's approval of Fort Cambridge restoration

Gap Developments plc, developers of Fort Cambridge, recently received approval from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority for the restoration of Fort Cambridge in Sliema.

The development permit for the restoration of the fort will recover the external appearance of the battery and restore it to its original state.

The fort forms part of the Gap project, which includes a residential complex.

The pentagon-shaped Fort Cambridge dates back to the 1880s. Construction of the Victorian fortification began in 1879 and was finished in 1898.

Fort Cambridge is one of a pair, twinned with Fort Rinella in Kalkara, which has a similar design. Both forts housed one of the three famous 100-tonne coastal guns, which required a gun crew of 35 and which Fort Cambridge was specifically built to accommodate.

The fort has already had all 'additions' removed, including a swimming pool and a restaurant, and its restoration will be carried out by a team from TBA Periti, under the supervision of architect Alex Torpiano.

The architects and the developers plan to restore the fort to its old glory, paying particular attention to details that are considered 'the soul' of the fortification.

The architects were also able to get plans of the original fort from British military archives.

At the same time, Gap will seek to instil a new breath of life into the historic site.