Juan Ameen
Permit decision ‘outrageous and dangerous’
The extension will house the private chambers of the members of the judiciary and other offices. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
The unsightly additional floors built on judges’ new chambers in Valletta’s Old Bakery Street have been slammed by the Chamber of Architects’ president.
He said it could compromise the city’s Unesco heritage status.
Describing it as an “eyesore”, chamber president Vince Cassar said the permit to raise the old building to eight floors should not have been granted.
“Valletta has its own particular skyline which has already been ruined by other projects. However, the other developments do not jar as much as the one in Bakery Street,” he said.
Commissioned by the government, the €1.8 million project involves joining two adjacent houses in Strait Street and raising it to eight floors to house the judiciary’s chambers as well as a drugs court.
However, the extra floors added on top of the building, built with new limestone and cement blocks, stand out prominently in the area’s skyline and prompted a barrage of criticism on social networking sites – especially from Maltese architects.
Photos of the structure have gone viral on Facebook with architect Chris Briffa highlighting it as an example of “bad design” as he sarcastically complimented the Malta Environment and Planning Authority for managing “your typically strict ‘save our skyline’ strategy, and to whomever commissioned this new monster”.
Mr Cassar underlined the need for care with construction in Valletta.
“If we continue as it is, Valletta could lose its Unesco heritage status,” he said, pointing out the capital’s plans as the European Cultural Capital in 2018. Architect Conrad Thake described the decision to grant the permit as “dangerous” and “outrageous”, especially because of Valletta’s protected heritage status.
Dr Thake said that judges’ chambers should have been built elsewhere and not in a historic building as the environment was not conducive because of issues of space.
The project had been recommended for refusal by the planning directorate since the government applied in 2001.
However, a Development Control Commission overturned the recommendation and granted the permit after asking the developer to remove a bridge linking the new chambers with the law courts.
Although Valletta is a Unesco World Heritage Site, there are no planning policies setting a height limitation for buildings in the city.
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16 Comments
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Mario Spiteri
Jan 23rd, 00:18
It's good to finally hear the Chamber of Architects speak up. Could Perit Cassar kindly tell us where the Kamra stands on architects who habitually apply for, and get permits which break MEPA regulations, ruining both our countryside and our old urban cores? Some of them even boast about this! All the permits obtained just before elections (wait for it agian!) illegal extra floors, illegal high party walls...
Why does the Chamber of Architects never take action - in fact when was the last time it made disciplinary proceedings against one of its members?
I Bugeja
Jan 22nd, 21:29
Aside from the obvious bricks which really stands out... but that thing cost 1.8million euros?
How can it be?
James Tyrrell
Jan 22nd, 23:48
Not unreasonable in such cases where you may have to factor in what is skimmed of the top even before you start paying bribes.
Joe Grech
Jan 22nd, 18:44
Certainly Austin Walker and others directly involved at MEPA over this scandal need to resign - or be made to resign! Surely it is wrong to try to forget this particularly hideous environmental sin!
Joe Grech
Jan 22nd, 18:42
It is outrageous that this administration was so inefficient and callous that it did not even have the willpower to protect Valletta from the serious mismanagement that exists at MEPA.. How on earth can the P.N. and especially the P.M. live this down? Shocking!
Lino Busuttil
Jan 22nd, 16:06
L-aqwa l-ghagla biex naghmlu news headline bil-Minisru l-gdid ihabbar riforma li suppost saret 4 snin ilu! Like me bloggers must have been perplexed by TVM news some days ago filming a delegation in a very hazardous early stages construction site. Now we have to do everything in a few weeks. MEPA could have been proactive and guided the requisits of the project, it being a government project. MEPA is simply lagging behind and lacks consistency.
James Tyrrell
Jan 22nd, 15:17
Another example of why this Government needs to go sooner rather than later as they have totally lost the plot with regard to the beautiful and historic country they live in. Any Government who can stand by and support the rape of their capital city in this way does not deserve to be in Government. And the fact that they not only support this but are destroying the entrance to the city with their unnecessary ne Wendy house on stilts and their slit in a wall proves that they are doing everything in their power to compromise the city’s UNESCO heritage status.
Joseph Chetcuti
Jan 22nd, 14:11
Clearly the authorities fail to set a good example but then again this is to be expected in this country in the same way that we complain and comment when it is too too late to do anything about it!!
W Cassar
Jan 22nd, 12:15
MEPA strikes again! We have ruined the countryside now lets do Valletta too!
Tonio Bone
Jan 22nd, 12:02
What a shameful situation. Did I read that Valletta's bid for a Unesco something or other???? Seriously?
Sandro Magri
Jan 22nd, 11:27
Imnalla l-Mepa qed jiehu hsieba Gonzi , ghax li kieku ara kemm tkun ghar!!
A. MICALLEF
Jan 22nd, 11:13
Ic-Chamber of Architects issa qieghda titkellem ??? Il-periti fuq il-bordijiet tal-Mepa
ilhom snin japprovaw permessi ma Malta kollha li irvinaw l-ambjent Malti u haxxnu
il-bwiet ta developers u hbieb bil-miljuni ta liri. Per ezempju, ghaliex ic-Chamber of
Architects ma tkellmitx fi twaqqih ta l-Mgarr Hotel li qieghdin jinbnew issa flats ??? U ma
din hemm lista hafna twila.
Victor Pulis
Jan 22nd, 11:12
If the govenment itself flouts the building regulations is it that surprising that the common man does the same? This incident brings to mind another case where the regulations were broken when works connected with Senglea's cruise liner terminal, (yes there's one in Senglea!) were undertaken without the proper permits. And like in this case MEPA found out after the works had been completed!
We are now waiting for the building to be demolished...Hurry up I can't hold my breath for long!
Celine Grech
Jan 22nd, 10:31
"Although Valletta is a Unesco World Heritage Site, there are no planning policies setting a height limitation for buildings in the city."
You would have thought this would be a no. 1 priority for MEPA !!
On what grounds did the Development Control Commission justify overturning the initial refusal ??
So many questions with no answers ... the mind boggles!
carmel debattista
Jan 22nd, 10:09
Mhux hekk , int trid twaqqa il gallinar tal hamiem ghax ikerrah L Sky Line ta birkirkara , Umbad tac Chamber jibnulek blokka flats ta 8 sulari fuq saqaf ta Heritage site .
Ghalfejn qadna noqodu nonfqu l flus fuq Renzo Piano u Richard England meta stajna inhallu kollox F'idejn dal Perit tal MEPA !!!
Qed tara x Jigri meta taqbad tivvinta progett gdid minghajr ma tahseb fuqu .
Issa nehlu 1.8m Euros ohra biex inwaqqawh ,
U 1.8 million ohra biex nixtru post iehor !
5.4 miljun euro mohlijja bl-addocc.
Insomma bl addocc ... ghal maltin mhux al partit , ghax is sitwazzjoni tiggenera l Voti
stephen koludrovic
Jan 22nd, 10:51
@ Carmel Debattista,
Just add a few more euros in your calculations for the consultants fees that might be needed.