Photomontages show Saqqajja block’s impact on historic views

Photomontages of a residential development proposed on Saqqajja Hill in Rabat show the project will increase building density in the area.

But terracing will ensure the new taller structures do not exceed the height of older buildings on the site of the former Tattingers disco.

The current 5,549sq.m area is characterised by two- and three-storey properties marked for demolition.

New Saqqaja development as seen from the Logga tal-Palju

The photomontages were requested by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage to be able to assess the project and give its verdict. The photomontages had to be taken from the same viewpoints as those used for an earlier permit for a hotel that was eventually cancelled by the court.

The fresh plans for the site consist of 34 flats built across four blocks that will be characterised by traditional green Maltese balconies.

The location, just outside Mdina, was previously earmarked for a 5-star hotel. However, the new application envisages a five-storey development, including restaurants, a gym and a spa.

The hotel permit issued in 2021 was revoked by the Court of Appeal in February following an appeal by Din l-Art Ħelwa. The proposal was deemed to breach the Local Plan for the area, which categorically excludes the development of new hotels. The permit had previously been revoked by the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal (EPRT) and sent back to the Planning Authority due to its issuance before the necessary studies were conducted. The court’s decision has effectively ruled out the development of the site as a hotel.

New Saqqaja development as seen from the Mdina bastions

The new application involves demolishing existing commercial and residential buildings and constructing a new block comprising two restaurants, a gym, and a spa on the ground floor, with a parking area of three basement levels in the open area between Telgħa tas-Saqqajja and Triq L-Infetti. Two pedestrian tunnels are also being proposed underneath the road.

The residential units are set over five floors, one of which is receded, and will consist of six one-bedroom units, 17 two-bedroom units, and 11 three-bedroom units.

In terms of massing, the development will have a more pronounced impact on views from the Mdina bastions and the listed Logga tal-Palju — an arched grandstand used during the Mnarja horse races — where the apartment blocks will replace the existing cluttered but lower development.

The application has been presented by Dominic Micallef, the former owner of Tattingers club, who had initially proposed the hotel.