Superintendence now calls for Central Link re-routing to protect historic Attard buildings

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage has officially called for the re-routing of the Central Link project to protect a cluster of vernacular buildings in the vicinity of the St Paul Shipwrecked chapel.

In seeking to defend these structures the Superintendence said it was not just concerned by the proposed demolition of these “historic structures”, but also by “the total redefinition of a cultural landscape”.

Cultural landscape is a term which denotes an interplay between nature and human intervention in creating landmarks rooted in social memory.

In its report the Superintendence is now strongly urging Infrastructure Malta to re-route the proposed road “to preserve the legibility of this area”.

Only if re-routing is impossible should these historic structures “be relocated within the immediate environs”.

While one of these properties has undergone extensive internal changes, two of the properties are of evident antiquity, “having slab ceilings borne on kileb”. These older properties are also attached to a traditional walled orchard.

The Superintendence is also calling for the preservation of a tower-like structure “of evident antiquity” located within a walled orchard near the Chapel of St Paul Shipwrecked. “These properties have a degree of cultural heritage value and the Superintendence is favourable to their preservation in situ,” it said.

The Superintendence is also calling for the protection of a traditional structure, located at the Wied Incita Plant Nursery, a cluster of vernacular structures off Triq l-Imdina and two adjacent buildings of evident ar-chitectural and historical value located just off the Mriehel By-Pass.

A total of 15 buildings will have to be demolished to make way for the new road. The buildings were all inspected by the heritage authorities between 11 and 14 June. In the case of eight of these buildings the Superintendence concluded that these do not have cultural heritage value that would warrant their preservation.