Owners appeal MEPA’s Villa Bonici decision

The owners of Villa Bonici, have filed an appeal with the Environment and Planning review tribunal of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority against the authority’s refusal to issue a permit in the villa grounds in Sliema.

In March, MEPA turned down a request for the construction of a residential complex spread over four blocks around a landscaped area.

The height of the proposed buildings varied between two and 12 floors.

The reason for the refusal was that the local plan lays down that no permits can be issued before a development brief regulating development in the area is issued.

In their appeal owners Nicholas M. Jensen, Irene Bache and Agnes Gera De Petri argued that the application has been ongoing at MEPA’s end for years and the supposed ‘development brief’ should have been prepared during the deliberation of this application.

In addition the appellants insisted that the proposal is designed in a way that the villa, a Grade 2 monument, will not be overshadowed by the development while other elements of the existing garden were retained and integrated with the proposed design.

MEPA is defending its decision not to issue any permit before a development brief is finalised.

A report submitted by MEPA’s legal office said the prior approval of a development brief will ensure the comprehensive redevelopment of the whole site while protecting the historical context of Villa Bonici and its gardens, improving access while providing additional parking for the surrounding area.

“Pending the finalisation of this brief it must be made sure that new development does not compromise the planning of the site nor disrupt access and the orderly provision of utility services and parking provision”.

MEPA also contends that the proposed development of eight floors in close proximity of the villa would have an adverse impact on its context and setting.

Furthermore the development of high rise south of the villa would result in overshadowing the scheduled property, compounding the impact on it.

The garden’s scheduled features, including the grand staircase, panoramic balcony, nympheum, tennis courts and underlying reservoirs and the belvedere, are either being encroached upon and destroyed or built around, resulting in totally removing their context. 

Despite the appeal, discussions between MEPA’s Forward Planning Division and the applicants and their architect are underway with respect to the formulation of the Development Brief.

Over 600 objections were presented against the proposed development.

Villa Bonici was built sometime before 1872 as a country residence by Emmanuele Testaferrata-Bonici-Ghaxaq (1843-1903).

The gardens were in time extended, incorporating existing terraced fields. Until the Second World War, the building was used as a family residence. During the war, the building suffered some damage, particularly its rear facade. After repairs were carried out, parts of the gardens were leased for entertainment purposes, including an open-air cinema. For some time the villa itself was rented out to the state and used as a government school.