Paceville hotel could dwarf Villa Rosa and Augustinian convent

A proposed 10-storey hotel in Paceville would dominate views of the Augustinian convent and Villa Rosa, photomontages presented by the developer show.

The photomontages were requested by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage. They illustrate the visual impact of the proposed hotel on the scheduled Villa Rosa and the Augustinian convent.

The hotel is being proposed in place of a villa and its extensive green grounds located near St Rita’s chapel and the Augustinian convent. The site lies less than 40 metres from the upper entrance of Villa Rosa.

In a submission to the Planning Authority last month, the superintendence noted that the site lies within the setting zone of both Villa Rosa and the St Augustine monastery—both Grade 2 scheduled properties.

While acknowledging existing and approved developments in the area, the superintendence requested photomontages of the proposed building, captured from Triq Sqaq Lourdes. It stated that further comments would be issued following an assessment of the requested visuals.

The chapel, convent, and Villa Rosa are all listed heritage buildings, but they now stand in an area increasingly engulfed by high-rise development that has replaced the once low-lying villas of Paceville. Another hotel located next to the Hyatt Hotel is still awaiting approval by the Planning Authority.

The Villa Rosa development proposed by Anton Camilleri on the other side of Villa Rosa also includes a high-rise development which could go up to 39 floors, according to the draft local plan revision being proposed by government.

The 12-storey Hyatt Regency Malta, located just metres from the proposed site, was approved in 2018 on land owned by the Augustinian Order despite objections from the superintendence and the Archdiocese of Malta.

If approved, the new development would extend the high-rise entertainment district even closer to Villa Rosa.

The project, proposed by Albert Henry Xuereb, foresees a 93-room hotel spread over 10 floors above ground, with five underground levels, a rooftop pool, and ancillary facilities.

Heritage NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa has objected to the proposal, warning that it could seriously impair the visual amenity of these scheduled monuments, undermining their heritage integrity and value. The organisation stressed the importance of detailed visuals to properly assess the development’s impact and ensure the visual context of the historic properties is preserved.

The Augustinian Order has reserved the right to submit representations as necessary.