Rabat residents fear being “pushed out” of their community as a townhouse in St Paul’s Street looks set to be demolished and converted into a restaurant.
An application recommended for approval by the Planning Authority on Thursday would retain only the facade of the existing building, close to the Ta’ Ġieżu church, adding an extra floor for an overlying maisonette.
Residents objecting to the plans have warned that the stretch of St Paul’s Street is already highly commercialised and the application risks upsetting the already delicate balance between homes and businesses.
“This particular application tips the balance against the residents should it be approved,” residents said.
The message is that residents must make space for commerce to take over
“Indeed, it will be sending out a message to the residents that sooner or later, they need to make space for commercial activity to take over the street entirely.”
Objectors are also complaining that although the application proposes retaining the historic facade, it will replace the window on the ground floor with a new door. This, they argue, would destroy the current symmetry of a series of townhouses, many of which have been recently renovated into dwellings.
The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage objected to the changes to the facade – although it did not raise issues with the development as a whole – which, it said, would negatively impact the preserved streetscape.
The watchdog noted that the building lay within a highly-preserved urban conservation area and insisted that any development should aim to protect and enhance the architectural value of the area. It also highlighted the area’s archaeological sensitivity and said the survival of further remains nearby could not be excluded, proposing monitoring conditions should the application be accepted.
Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar and Din l-Art Ħelwa are also objecting, with the latter writing that the proposal was not sensitive to its location and did not respect the historic building, making no effort to integrate the historic fabric into the new development.
The heritage NGO urged that the PA request a redesign of the proposal, calling for changes to avoid the loss of a traditional townhouse.
However, the PA case officer concluded that the section planned for demolition “does not possess any features or characteristics that would militate against the demolition of the building”. He said the proposal was in line with the relevant planning policies and recommended the application for approval.