Owner fights plans to demolish old house

The owner of a 150-year-old scheduled property in Mosta has filed a judicial protest claiming that Transport Malta's plans to demolish the house for the building of a road are illegal.

Michael John Darmanin, who works in Austria but lives in the Mosta house during his regular visits to Malta, filed his protest against the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, Transport Malta and the director of the Lands Department.

He said in his protest that he has owned the property, at 77, St Anthony the Abbot Street, Mosta, since January 1992.

He said he would be needing the house when he returns to Malta in the near future and his 78-year-old mother, who suffers from Pagets Disease and uses a wheelchair, would be moving in with him.

Mr Darmanin pointed out that his house had not been expropriated. Moreover, the property was scheduled and built over 150 years ago. It had been lovingly converted by its owners, and had many architectural and typical Maltese characteristics which were being lost.