The planned relocation of the Palace Armoury to the former parliamentary chamber, where it was originally located, has been put on hold as the hall has been earmarked as a conference venue for Malta’s 2017 EU presidency.

A spokesman for the unit coordinating logistical arrangements for Malta’s presidency in first six months of 2017 said the Palace would host the informal EU ministerial meetings chaired by Malta.

He added that they were also exploring the possibility of holding sessions in Gozo.

On Thursday the planning authority will decide on an application to dismantle the parliamentary chamber, last used in April, and install temporary conference facilities to be placed there between September of next year and July 2017.

The application, filed by the Parliamentary Secretariat for the EU Presidency, is likely to be approved in line with the authority case officer’s recommendation.

The chamber – which houses wooden platforms, franka-dressed stone elements and ceiling fittings – will be dismantled by hand to minimise potential damage. Each item will be numbered and stored safely in another location.

The method statement approved by the planning authority’s Heritage Planning Unit and the Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee also specifies that the Speaker’s chair has to be conserved in its entirety.

In his report, the case officer noted that the proposed restoration works were favourably being considered as they were in line with the urban policy objectives.

Armoury’s relocation will only happen after the conference

These promote the rehabilitation of historic spaces to modern uses while encouraging the conservation of this building which enjoys the highest level of protection (Grade 1 listing).

However, a number of conditions are being recommended, such as a ban on the installation of air conditioning units or any other services on the outer façades of the Palace.

Inaugurated in 1976, the old parliamentary chamber hosted its last plenary meeting on April 24, when MPs moved to the new House designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano, at the capital’s entrance.

The old parliamentary chamber which has been in disuse since April.

In May 2009, the Nationalist administration had appointed former European Court of Human Rights judge Giovanni Bonello as superintendent of an ambitious project to restore the Palace to its former glory.

Works to relocate the old armoury had been due to start when the House of Representatives migrated to the new Parliament building.

The government had also announced that the office of the Attorney General, the Malta Community Chest Fund and the Public Services Commission, currently on the ground floor, would move to another location.

Contacted by this newspaper, Dr Bonello yesterday clarified that the old armoury project had not been shelved and that great care would be taken to ensure that the intervention to install conference facilities would be entirely reversible.

Work to finally showcase the Palace’s entire armoury collection is likely to start in July 2017.