A glut of new applications to demolish characteristic townhouses in Sliema in favour of apartments and guesthouses has left residents staring at an “uncivilised level of barbarism”, according to concerned local council members.

In the past two weeks alone, the council has submitted objections to nine new developments, largely due to concerns over architectural heritage, following a marked increase in applications in recent months. Three of the applications submitted in the last two weeks are all to convert existing buildings into guesthouses.

“The situation is alarming. Unfortunately in Malta there’s a high level of appreciation for Baroque but very little awareness of 20th century architecture,” local councillor Paul Radmilli told the Times of Malta. “If you had to see an application in Mdina for what’s happening in Sliema, I’m certain there would be protests in the streets.

Heritage experts have warned that the architectural variety of the town, which is home to a number of styles practically unique to Malta, is under threat of obliteration from the raft of applications. While architecturally significant, many traditional townhouses are not scheduled, meaning developers are often not obliged even to retain the façades.

The situation is alarming. Unfortunately in Malta there’s a high level of appreciation for Baroque but very little awareness of 20th century architecture

“The people who designed many of these houses were Maltese architects who travelled widely in Europe and created their own interpretation of the architectural movements of the time, the Art Noveau and Art Deco they saw on their travels,” Mr Radmilli said.

“If we keep dropping house after house, we’re going to lose a whole era of architecture. A lot has been lost, but if we don’t preserve the little that remains, we’re going to lose everything.”

Last April, the PA approved the demolition of three historic townhouses in Tigné for the construction of an apartment block, with the authority arguing that, as the houses had no degree of formal protection, there were no grounds to oppose the development.

Appealing the Tigné decision, the local council and NGOs have insisted that any decisions which raise heritage concerns should automatically be referred to the Superintendence for Culture Heritage, a demand which has so far been rejected by the PA.

“The destruction of these houses will result in yet another loss in leading precious examples of a Maltese interpretation of international architectural styles,” heritage architect Edward Said, one of the most outspoken voices on the issues, told this newspaper at the time.

“We’re leaving a void in our architectural history. As part of a historical story, these buildings are as important as any baroque palace or Siculo-Norman house.”

Similar applications have since sprouted across the town, in places targeting buildings that are part of well-preserved rows, such as in Dingli Street, Ġorg Borġ Olivier Street and lower Sacro Cuor Street.

Part of this is due to recent changes to the planning procedure making it even harder to protect characteristic buildings outside the urban conservation area (UCA). Applications to build up to 16 apartments on such sites now benefit from the new “summary procedure”, shortening public consultation from three to two weeks and eliminating the need of a public hearing and a case officer report.

While some applications retain the building’s original façade, objectors say the additional levels placed above disturb the character of traditional streetscape.

Mr Radmilli said these new developments were being driven by a “corruption” of the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development (SPED), the PA’s general guidelines, which call for the street context to be taken into consideration when assessing any application.

“Case officers are regularly pointing out a block of apartments at the other end of the street as proof that the street is no longer authentic, using it as a pretext to justify further development,” Mr Radmilli said. “Unless the local plans are revised and the true spirit of SPED is respected, we’re just going to see further destruction.”

A: Small, finely-designed Art Deco townhouse in Graham Street, set to be demolished and replaced by six floors and penthouses. As it is outside the urban conservation area, the façade will not be retained. The application is currently being assessed. Photos: Steve Zammit Lupi, Matthew Mirabelli and Darrin Zammit Lupi

B: Double-fronted townhouse in Dingli Street, known to contain a small chapel, proposed to be partly demolished and redeveloped into a fivestorey apartment block, retaining the façade. The house forms part of a well-preserved row. The application is currently being assessed.

C: Stately townhouse in Ġorg Borġ Olivier Street, to be redeveloped into a multi-storey guesthouse, retaining the façade. Residents say it will disturb the traditional character of the street and add congestion. The application is currently being assessed.

D: Three important Art Deco townhouses in Hughes Hallet Street, Tigné, to be demolished to build 15 apartments, two penthouses and underground parking. The façades will not be retained. The permit was granted in April but the local council is appealing the decision.

E: One of the last traditional buildings on Tower Road to survive rampant development in recent decades. Additional storeys will be added over the existing building, bringing the total height to nine storeys. The application is currently being assessed.

F: The Cloisters, a scheduled historical building on Mrabat Street, to be redeveloped into a boutique hotel and restaurant. Additional floors will be added and the adjoining garden developed. The application is currently being assessed.

[attach id=524865 size="large" align="left"]G: Old seafront townhouse at Balluta Bay, to be redeveloped into a fivestorey block on the seaward side, with an additional floor added to the streetscape. The application is currently being assessed.[/attach]

H: Three two-storey townhouses in Sacro Cuor Street, close to the Strand, facing applications for six-storey apartment blocks and penthouses. The Heritage Advisory Committee had described the buildings as a “uniform terrace that is worth preserving”. The application is currently being assessed; similar applications in the same street have recently been approved.

I: Additions and alterations to one of a well-preserved row of houses with a mix of Art Deco, Art Noveau and Maltese variants. The local council says the proposed elevation offers no architectural improvement to the streetscape. The application is currently being assessed.

J: Early 19th century houses in a historical part of St Julian’s, to be demolished and replaced by six-storey apartment blocks, retaining the façade. The application is currently being assessed.

K: Old building in Tigné, characteristic of British era, to be demolished to make way for a sandwich bar and 12 apartments and a penthouse over five floors. The Sliema local council has objected on principle and because of the architectural value. The application is currently being assessed.