The Planning Authority has given the go-ahead for the partial demolition of a characteristic townhouse in one of the most historic parts of Sliema, despite the fierce opposition of heritage experts and the local council.

The Planning Commission this morning voted unanimously to approve the application to demolish parts of the house in Ġorġ Borġ Olivier Street, adjacent to Capua Palace, and add three new floors, converting it into a guesthouse.

Developers argued that the proposal would improve the streetscape, already blighted with an apartment complex towering over existing buildings a few doors down.

Sliema local councillor Paul Radmilli, however, said the policy regarding ‘infill’ sites between two higher buildings did not apply “if the two higher commitments are at the extreme ends of the perimeter block”.

Mr Radmilli argued that accepting the proposal for another guesthouse would send the message that residents were no longer valued. “We may as well convert the whole town to offices and hotels,” he said.

The townhouse in question has Category B+ protection and is directly opposite the former home of the former Prime Minister Ġorġ Borġ Olivier, a Grade I scheduled building.

Architect Edward Said, who serves as secretary of the Sliema Heritage Society, insisted the proposal would degrade the architectural context of the street.

In previous comments to the Times of Malta, he explained that the house had been designed by the acclaimed architect Francesco Zammit, who was engaged to design some of Sliema’s most important buildings, and commissioned by Count Mattei, who was also responsible for the adjacent Capua Palace and many of the buildings in the street.

Mr Said argued that the entirety of the street, formerly Victoria Avenue, should be considered one of the most iconic in Sliema, and as worthy of preservation as the ‘Main Street’ of any other town or village.

Neither the Environment and Resources Authority (which did not reply to the consultation) nor the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage, raised any objections to the development.

Sliema has seen a dramatic spike in applications targeting historic townhouses for apartments or guesthouses in recent weeks. Similar applications have sprouted across the town, including in hitherto well-preserved rows in Dingli Street and lower Sacro Cuor Street.

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