Moviment Graffitti demands protection of Fort Chambray barracks

The British Barracks of Fort Chambray should be granted the protection it deserves after being selected as one of the seven most endangered heritage sites across Europe, Moviment Graffitti has said.

In a statement issued on Friday, Moviment Graffitti welcomed the news that the British Barracks at Fort Chambray was selected by Europa Nostra as an endangered heritage sites.

However, it also urged the government to “shoulder its responsibility” by granting the barracks formal protection.

The NGO warned that the historic building is under threat to make way for a large-scale residential development, including apartment blocks and an aparthotel, which it said would “completely undermine” the integrity of the Knights-era fort.

The listing follows a collective effort led by Din l-Art Ħelwa and its Gozo branch to secure international attention for the site. Moviment Graffitti argued that the recognition strengthens the case for revoking what it described as “irregular permits” issued by the Planning Authority, currently under appeal before the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal.

The NGO also renewed its call for an Emergency Conservation Order requested in 2025 by a coalition of organisations, supported by the Għajnsielem Local Council and hundreds of signatories. It insisted that the process to schedule the British Barracks should begin without further delay.

The barracks are the only building of their kind in Gozo and rank among the earliest examples of married quarters constructed in the British Empire. Research cited by the NGO indicates that the building dates back to at least 1895 and was constructed entirely in globigerina limestone by the same master mason responsible for the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu.

Moviment Graffitti said while the majority of British-era barracks buildings in Malta have been scheduled, the Fort Chambray barracks remain in limbo. All historic elements within the fort were scheduled in 2005, the NGO said, yet the barracks’ protection was left pending. It said this move was “inexplicable” and indicative of an intention to facilitate redevelopment of the site into a residential and commercial complex.

The group dismissed claims that the building could be relocated as misleading, stating that contractual documents impose no obligation to preserve or reconstruct the structure. It also argued that permits allowing for the demolition and dismantling of the barracks contradict the Existing Buildings Retention Policy within the Fort Chambray Development Brief, which stipulates that historic buildings within the fort are not to be demolished but restored and conserved.

While some have described the barracks as being in a poor state of repair, Moviment Graffitti maintained that the building remains in good condition and could be sustainably restored for community use.

“Fort Chambray, and the historic sites contained within it, deserve protection from any insensitive development,” the NGO said. “Our historic heritage must take precedence over private profit.”