One of Malta's finest early 20th century houses, Villa Roseville, in St Anthony Street, Attard is in a state of near dereliction and, unless immediate action is taken, it may soon be too late to save it.

Built between 1912 and 1921 by architects Alessandro Mannara and Emmanuele Borg, the house is a prime example of the Stile Liberty (or Floreale) architecture, more popularly known as Art Nouveau, and demands protection and appreciation.

A plea for its preservation was made by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna in December 2000, and I highlighted its significance to Maltese art history in a letter to The Times (December 22, 2000).

The then Planning Authority issued a conservation order in January, 2001 (The Times, January 3, 2001) but took no steps to safeguard it and it was left to rot in (perhaps) intentional neglect.

Now a conspicuous section of the wrought iron railings has gone missing, and the wood work of the window shutters has been reduced to pulp leaving the interior to the mercy of the elements.

A lot of lip service is paid to the wealth of our cultural heritage and the need to protect it, but cases such as that of Roseville make you cynical of its true intensions.