Before and after for the townhouse on the Pietà seafront

The Planning Authority has approved the conversion of a Grade 2 scheduled townhouse on the Pietà seafront into a six-storey apartment block, despite protests by heritage groups.

The development of the protected pre-19th-century property, part of a well-preserved row of six townhouses, was given the go-ahead last Friday.

Objectors had argued that the development would have an irreversible negative impact on the historic streetscape and set a precedent that would ruin the other scheduled properties in the same row.

A precedent that would ruin the other scheduled properties in the same row

Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar last week formally asked for the case to be heard by the full Planning Board, which includes representatives of the environment authority and NGOs, to ensure adequate scrutiny in light of the sensitivity of the site.

The hearing request was, however, overwhelmingly rejected, and the case was instead decided by the three-person Planning Commission.

“We cannot keep wiping out our heritage, our beauty, our identity, all in the name of profit,” FAA environment officer Tara Cassar said.

“When this craze ends, we’ll be left with apartment blocks upon apartment blocks and a postcard to show others what once made Malta the jewel of the Mediterranean.”

Din l-Art Ħelwa, which also objected to the proposal, had called for the application to be amended to integrate and possibly reuse the existing internal architecture.

But the Planning Authority case officer, who recommended that the proposal be approved, concluded that the development was in line with all the relevant planning policies and had been given the green-light by heritage authorities.