81 room hotel conditionally approved on Saqqaja hill

In a topsy-turvy meeting, the Planning Authority board has approved the proposed 81-room five-storey hotel, but made final approval conditional on the completion of geological and archaeological studies assessing the impact of excavations on the heritage site.

The case officer had recommended approval of the project, which includes tunnels excavated in close proximity to the Loġġa tal-Palju, on the basis of studies deemed inadequate by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage.

Instead, the PA issued a permit for the development of the hotel, which is conditional on the completion of all studies related to excavations and the clearance by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage.

Board members Annick Bonello, Omar Vella and Chris Cilia, voted against insisting that the PA should not establish any commitment on such a historically sensitive site before all studies are completed.

The project described by architect and former PN Minister Jesmond Mugliette as one meriting inclusion in a  "postcard" is being proposed on the site of the former Tattingers disco and adjacent buildings on the strategically located and geologically sensitive Saqqajja hill.

During the meeting, Board members Chris Cilia and  Annick Bonello expressed their disappointment that not all studies have been conducted.

Cilia also expressed his shock that the case officer had proposed a bank guarantee of 10,000 euro. The bank guarantee was later raised to 50,000 euros.

“I do not feel comfortable voting for a project before all studies related to heritage and geology are completed”, Cilia said.

ERA chairman Victor Axiaq expressed the same concern but ended up voting for the issue of the permit when this was made conditional on studies.

Omar Vella described the architecture used as “alien”.  Similar concerns on the design were expressed by board chairman Vince Cassar and Duncan Mifsud.

It was  PA CEO Martin Saliba who came up with the “compromise”, which effectively establishes a hotel commitment on the site while works would only commence when studies are completed and approved. The design of the hotel was also left for future consideration as a reserved matter.

Saliba insisted that the developers need some commitment before undertaking these studies. But Annick Bonello rebutted, insisting that she could not commit herself in any way to a project which impacts an important heritage site like Mdina, insisting that studies should be conducted even before demolition works.

The project, which has already been given the clearance of the Lands Authority, involves the transfer of public land required for the excavation of two pedestrian tunnels beneath the road leading to private parking for the hotel in Triq it-Tigrija with an entrance immediately adjacent to the protected Logga tal-Palju.

Architect Mugliette confirmed that the land still has to be formally transferred to the developers according to legal procedures.

In its final declaration on the project, the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage welcomed several improvements addressing many of its concerns on the stepping and terracing of the building but still noted  “the inevitable material and visual impact that such an extensive and intensive development will have on this context and especially on the values of the historical city of Mdina”.

Moreover, it described a method statement on excavation works in the vicinity of the Loġġa tal-Palju to develop a tunnel as “inadequate and lacking in necessary detail”.  The case officer had recommended that this is left as a “reserved matter” to be addressed after the issue of the permit, which would still require clearance from the SCH.

Maresca Demanuele, on behalf of  Moviment Graffitti, questioned the approval of the project before the completion of the required studies on the impact of the proposed tunnels on heritage sites.

“All studies should be conducted before approval”. But Mugliette disagreed, insisting that this is a massive investment that can only be undertaken if the project is approved.

The application presented by Jeffrey Cutajar and Tattingers owner Dominic Micallef had been slightly downscaled from the originally proposed 110 room hotel and had been the subject of various changes over the past three years to address earlier concerns by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage, the Environment and Resources Authority and other bodies.

Following a short corporate video presentation praising the project - something unprecedented in similar public hearings - Jesmond Mugliette described the project as one which will contribute to the “regeneration of the area” while respecting the historical context and even stabilising the geology of the area. “We are not just investing in a hotel but also conservation.”

He also insisted that the area be given the “fitting entrance” it deserves, using the ugliness of the present buildings owned by the applicant as justification for the development.

He also outlined the various changes made to the project over the past three years to minimise its impact on Mdina.  He even described the 81 room hotel as a “boutique hotel”.

“If we were to make a postcard with the new hotel, it would be a far better postcard than that with the existing building.”

Residents living next to the proposed hotel insisted on a full geological investigation of the area before any project is approved.  They also disputed the existence of a large cistern identified in plans, meaning that excavations will be deeper than those proposed.

It later emerged that the “cistern” would serve as a pretext for a tables and chairs area.

Architect Claude Busuttil representing both the residents and the Mdina council warned that this might have an impact on the stability of the bastions. He also noted that two 19th century buildings would be demolished to make way for the hotel.  Mdina Mayor Peter Sant Manduca, who voted for the issue of the permit, reiterated the same concern with regards to the excavations.

Architect Tara Cassar on behalf of Din l-Art Helwa expressed concern on the extent of excavations over a 1000 sq meter area that extends much further than the basement of the existing Tattingers building.

“How on earth can we approve such an extensive excavation on such a sensitive site?” Cassar asked.   

Patricia Camilleri from the Archeological Society insisted that the project will still have a massive visual impact on the entrance of Rabat and Mdina, and the localities deserved better.  She also warned that archaeological monitoring after the permit was granted would simply mean that the findings w be recorded and destroyed.

Rabat Mayor Sandro Craus, while noting that the project does not impact the skyline, also expressed concern on the excavation related to the proposed underpasses warning about the presence of underwater streams in the area.  He also protested at the fact that the Rabat council was not represented on the PA board.