Tribunal approves dismantling of Chambray barracks

The Environment and Planning Review Tribunal (EPRT) has upheld the two planning permits linked to the controversial redevelopment of Fort Chambray, rejecting two interconnected appeals and confirming that the British Barracks may be dismantled and relocated as part of a wider hotel-led scheme.

The project involves dismantling the British Barracks to incorporate its arcade, facade, and flanks into the new hotel. This necessitates the total demolition of all internal spaces.

Barracks relocation upheld

The first appeal was filed by 11 NGOs and several individuals who argued that the dismantling of the British Barracks breached the 1992 Fort Chambray Development Brief, which states the structure should be “retained, restored and conserved”.

They insisted the building held significant heritage value and that its partial demolition and relocation violated planning policy safeguards.

The appellants also questioned the legality of permitting works while a scheduling request was still pending, arguing that the barracks deserved full protection.

The tribunal, however, dismissed the objections, finding that a 2012 outline permit had already established the principle of dismantling and relocation.

It also accepted the developer’s position that the barracks had been significantly compromised by earlier excavations, which left the structure isolated on a rock ledge and weakened its contextual integrity.

The EPRT concluded that the approved restoration method statement would allow for the preservation of the most significant architectural elements, which are to be incorporated into the new hotel development rather than retained in situ.

Phase three masterplan approved with changes

The second appeal also triggered by the same NGOs focused on the wider development, which includes a 5-star aparthotel, 64 hotel rooms, 50 serviced apartments, and 105 residential units.

Opponents argued that the project amounted to a “massive intensification” of the site, allegedly exceeding previously approved development parameters by around 4,500sq.m.

The Planning Authority and developer countered that the actual increase in footprint was minimal and that the revised design improved the overall spatial organisation of the fort, replacing a fragmented layout with more coherent urban planning and clearer public spaces.

The tribunal accepted that intensification had occurred particularly with regard to the height of two blocks on the southern edge of the site, finding them visually intrusive in relation to the nearby Grade 1 scheduled Polverista.

In response to this concern, new plans were presented with one of the blocks reduced to two floors plus a recessed level, and the other losing its top floor entirely, and overall heights were capped at 10.7m. The total number of residential units was reduced from 105 to 101.

The tribunal also confirmed that the 2012 outline permit remained valid as a legal commitment, since the full application had been submitted within the required timeframe. It further noted that the 2005 scheduling of Fort Chambray had deliberately excluded the British Barracks, leaving their fate to be determined through the planning process.

The EPRT also noted that the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, did not object to relocation.

The decision stands in marked contrast with the inclusion of the British Barracks in Europa Nostra’s 2026 list of the “Seven Most Endangered” heritage sites in Europe.

Europa Nostra described the barracks as a rare example of British military architecture in Gozo and a key component of Fort Chambray’s layered historical identity.