Senglea council calls for changes to design of proposed hotel

In a letter sent to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority last week, Senglea local council warned that the development of a 20-room boutique hotel in Victory Street may “disfigure the image of one of the historical areas” of the city.

While hailing the investment in tourism in Senglea, the council called on MEPA to ensure that the development does not impact on the harbour views of buildings on the opposite side of Victory Street.

The council augured that new design plans are considered to address these concerns.

Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar also presented objections.

The plans were changed after the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage called on MEPA to reject the application.

The first plans presented by the developer, Saviour Pace, envisaged a receded third and fourth storey. 

The new hotel would have risen higher than the adjacent Malta Labour Party building, impinging on views taking the centre stage from the nearby 16th century Church of San Giljan.

Subsequently new plans were presented eliminating the proposed fourth floor thus minimising the visual impact of the project.

On 8 August MEPA decided to suspend the processing of the application. A decision on this application cannot now be taken until the process is reactivated by MEPA.