Balzan modernist villa bites the dust for five-storey block

The Planning Authority has ignored the advice of the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage, to approve the demolition of a modernist villa on Old Railway Road in Balzan that will make way for yet another five-storey behemoth.

The Superintendence described the existing building as “a fine terraced house built in modernist style” endowed with “materials, colours and properties typical of its period which merits integration and preservation, at least in part.”

Described as a Maltese adaptation of the modernist style the 1960s, the villa will be replaced by a four-story block of eight flats, a penthouse with swimming pool, and basement garages.

The Superintendence had recommended that the front part of the villa be retained and incorporated within the development, or at least, reconstruct the dismantled façade long the new building’s alignment.

But it was overruled by the PA’s development directorate (formerly planning directorate), which said the proposed façade was “considered as a good alternative as a replacement for the existing façade.”

The development was approved because it was in line with the height limitation of the site. Curiously when approving the development earlier this month, the PA’s planning commission noted there were no objectors present and that no concern was raised for the total demolition of the existing villa from any other third party, NGO or the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage. No mention was made to the SCH’s clear recommendation to incorporate the facade of the villa in the new development.

In a previous sitting the planning commission had expressed concern on the visual massing of the new buildings but subsequently concluded that the proposed setbacks provided an adequate transition to the adjoining villa development.