Hotel and apartment blocks proposed in St Julian’s village core

Plans have been submitted for a hotel and two apartment blocks on a site at the corner of Triq il-Karmnu and Triq Sant’Anglu in the heart of St Julian’s. 

The site, enclosed behind a large curved wall, currently hosts a traditional townhouse surrounded by a spacious garden with mature trees and is located within an Urban Conservation Area (UCA). 

The outline application, submitted by Amir Limited, owned by Mamdouh Altllas, is broad in scope. It seeks the partial excavation of the disturbed site to establish height potential and use and confirms full ownership of the land. 

Plans envision a boutique hotel on the site of the existing building, two apartment blocks within part of the garden, and a pool area, while retaining the site’s entrance as a garden next to an existing belvedere. Building heights, however, have not been specified. 

As an outline application, it seeks approval in principle, setting out the intended land use, scale, and general parameters, while leaving detailed design, elevations, and construction specifics for a future full application. 

The submitted application form states that no trees will be uprooted and that existing rubble walls will remain intact, even if new structures are proposed within the garden. 

No previous applications have been submitted for this site.  

While the existing building and garden are unprotected, their location within a UCA means that strict rules apply to building heights, which must align with the predominant height of surrounding traditional buildings, and demolition of existing structures is generally precluded.