A villa in one of the oldest Sliema junctions has been spared from demolition after the Planning Authority on Friday gave the thumbs down to an application to have it rebuilt. 

All three members of the planing commission refused to accede to the applicant's request.

More than 2,300 objectors had warned that the proposal will have a “devastating” effect on the landmark Three Trees junction and impact the area's historic skyline, as well as destroy a rare garden enclave behind the villa.

The application to tear down the mid-20th-century Villa Degiorgio, retaining part of the facade, and build a five-storey apartment block had been recommended for refusal. 

Read: Thousands object to Sliema villa demolition

The case officer noted that the building, which lies at the prominent intersection of Dingli Street and High Street, had "outstanding architectural characteristics" and formed part of a well-preserved row of traditional buildings, with several scheduled properties nearby.

Two applications for Villa Degiorgio had been refused before 2013, while another application was only approved by the PA’s review tribunal in 2014 after being substantially scaled down and limited to the addition of one storey and the building depth of the existing building.

Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar was jubilant that its efforts to save the building paid off, but stressed that the fight was far from over.

"The momentum against the ruination of our quality of life is picking up as residents all over Malta can no longer take the dirt, noise, street closures, demolitions of heritage buildings, uprooting of trees and extra traffic which is undermining residents' health and Malta's tourism, the pillar of our economy," spokesman Astrid Vella said.