Hugo Chetcuti’s Paceville empire set to rise higher

The Bernard Hotel, which overlooks St George’s Bay and Triq Santu Wistin, is set to rise to 11 storeys, while the hotel being proposed on St Rita’s steps, is set to rise from five to seven storeys.

Paceville entrepreneur Hugo Chetcuti has applied to add two storeys to his Bernard Hotel and to the site of the former Bohemia club.

The Bernard Hotel, which overlooks St George’s Bay and Triq Santu Wistin, is set to rise to 11 storeys, while the hotel being proposed on St Rita’s steps, is set to rise from five to seven storeys.

A new policy approved last month allows all hotels in development zones to add two storeys. Another policy approved in August 2014 designates Paceville as one of five sites where buildings of over 10-storeys can be developed.

The Bernard Hotel dates to the 1970s.

An application to redevelop the hotel was made by Anthony Zahra in 2005. But subsequently, two storeys were added over and above what was approved in the permit.

Chetcuti submitted another application in 2010 to sanction the two new storeys and upgrade the hotel by increasing commercial spaces while decreasing the number of rooms.

The application was initially turned down because the MEPA board decreed that the amount of commercial space proposed was excessive.

MEPA concluded that it made no sense for the developer to be allowed to sanction the two illegal storeys when he intended to reduce the number of hotel beds. But the decision was overturned at appeal stage.

The second application foresees the addition of two more storeys to a proposed hotel on the site of the former Bohemia club on St Rita Steps, Paceville.

Chetcuti’s website also refers to plans for the development of ‘Hugo’s Heaven’, a 55-room hotel which will be set in an unspecified, “excellent” location “where glamorous public areas” and “comfortable room designs” will create a “memorable” experience for guests.