Five-star hotel proposed in Żurrieq village square sparks heritage concerns

Two of Żurrieq’s most prominent buildings adjacent to the Parish Church of St Catherine, overlooking Misraħ ir-Repubblika could turn into a five-star hotel.

Baldacchino Holdings, owners of the Garden of Eden wedding hall and the Kempinski San Lawrenz Hotel, have set their sights on transforming the buildings into a hotel.

The project is being proposed instead of an approved but never-developed home for the elderly which was first given the go ahead in 2011 and whose permit was renewed in 2017. The old people’s home permit, which was granted to the same company behind the hotel application, remains valid till next year.

The permit controversially allows for a receded rooftop level and was issued despite objections from the Heritage Advisory Committee and the case officer, who had recommended refusal.

The houses in Żurrieq earmarked for a five-star hotel

The new plans, submitted through two separate applications within the Urban Conservation Area (UCA) of Żurrieq, cover two historic properties—the surviving part of a 17th-century palazzo and a 19th-century townhouse. While no major alterations to the façades are being proposed, other than a rooftop extension, the change of use of such a prominent landmark into a hotel, together with internal interventions and a rooftop pool, have triggered strong heritage concerns.

The rooftop pool in particular has been flagged by both Din l-Art Ħelwa and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) as highly problematic, with both bodies warning that it would visually jar with the protected setting and compromise key views within the village core.

Din l-Art Ħelwa said a commercial operation of this scale would overwhelm the local streetscape and undermine the character of the traditional town centre.

The NGO warned that the second-floor extension, catering facilities, and rooftop pool would generate noise and activity incompatible with the area’s community-serving role. It further noted that the site lies within a residential area where hotels are not permissible, rendering the proposal contrary to planning policy. The NGO also criticised the removal of the formal garden to make way for paving and a pool, describing it as the loss of an important traditional open space.

On the other hand, the SCH does not object to the proposed ground-floor pool, insisting on a detailed works method statement to ensure that excavation and construction safeguard the existing historic structures.

However, the SCH expressed concern about the proposed demolition of internal historic fabric, including the main staircase and elements of the rear façade, questioning the lack of clear justification for such interventions. It also noted that the rooftop extension and pool risk creating blank party walls.