Two double-fronted townhouses of architectural value located just outside the Urban Conservation Area in Sliema are to be replaced by blocks of flats, following a controversial decision by the planning authority.
Last week, Mepa approved the complete demolition of two townhouses located back-to-back, one in Dun Karm Psaila Street and another in Nicolo’ Isouard Street, which is only two doors away from the UCA boundary.
The Sliema council and the Sliema Heritage Society strongly opposed Mepa’s decision, saying the authority made no attempt to retain the houses’ facades or any of their internal features. Yet identical houses on Howard Street have been proposed for scheduling.
Asked why no attempt had been made to retain the façades and features of these properties, Mepa said it was initially recommended that the façade on Isouard Street be retained, but the developer argued the house fell outside the UCA and included a mixture of styles.
Architect Edward Said, representing the objections of the Sliema council, said: “The dismissive attitude of the Mepa board members was worrying. We were told that aesthetically this will look better. This is inconsistent. We are going to appeal this decision”.
This is inconsistent. We are going to appeal this decision
Mr Said argued that UCA boundaries were drawn without any real consideration of what there was, pointing out that Isouard Street was one of the high streets of Sliema.
“We would have liked an internal photographic survey because when houses are just inside the UCA, Mepa makes it a nightmare for the owner to retain features. Just because this happens to be just outside the dotted line then you can do whatever you like,” Mr Said said.
The council’s issue was less about the houses being demolished than the lack of any attempt by Mepa to retain the two facades of architectural importance.
Mepa’s decision to approve the permit contradicted the authority’s newly drafted ‘Development Control Design Policy, Guidance and Standards 2014’.
This has a specific policy (P5) called ‘Transition Design Solutions’ advocating sensitivity to the traditional surroundings at the confines of UCAs.
“Mepa is going against something they are now advocating. The decision to totally remove the houses has emphasised a drastic change from UCA to non-UCA rather than making a gradual change,” Mr Said added.
Mepa’s response was that the policy was still in draft stage and it would have been “premature to quote this draft document when assessing an application”.
“Perhaps what Mepa does not appreciate is that those who have Sliema at heart feel that whatever is left of any historic architecture in Sliema should be preserved – at least the façades,” according to Mr Said.
The architect stressed that local plans were only indicative, as stated at the bottom of each plan: “It is up to the discretion of the board, according to the evidence brought before them, to decide otherwise. Mepa can refuse permission based on the architectural value of the property”.
Times Talk will be discussing the issue on Tuesday at 6.55pm on TVM.