Heritage Malta says Ta’ Hagrat block is ‘disrespectful’

Heritage Malta is objecting to a five-storey development proposed in close proximity to the Ta’ Ħaġrat world heritage site, describing it as disrespectful to its context.

The government agency responsible for the management of museums and heritage sites, including the Ta’ Ħaġrat temples, has officially written to the Planning Authority to object to a five-storey development which would create a large blank party wall overshadowing the world heritage site. “The development as proposed is disrespectful of the context in which it lies and will have a major negative impact on Ta’ Ħaġrat.”

Heritage Malta referred to its obligations under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention which states that protecting the context of these site is essential.

The proposed development on Triq Santa Marija by J&J Gauci Developments is located within the Area of Archaeological Importance, just 22m from the temples. No excavations are being proposed.

But photomontages requested by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage seem to confirm that the development will have a marked visual impact when seen from the temples, due to the creation of a large blank party wall overlooking the temples.

Although the development conforms to existing policies which allow 16.3m-high development in the area, new guidelines introduced in 2020 require developers to assess the impact of their proposals on nearby historical monuments at an early stage, through the submission of photomontages showing the impact on the surrounding streetscape.

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage is also warning that the development will severely impact on existing views and vistas from the Ta’ Ħaġrat Temples and is therefore strongly objecting to the development. The SCH called on the developers to considerably reduce the volume of the proposed project so as not to impact on views as seen from Ta’ Ħaġrat.