Superintendence ‘concerned’ by six-storey old people’s home near aqueduct

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage has expressed “concern” on the height of an old people’s home being proposed instead of the derelict structure of the Wignacourt Hotel in Mriehel, emphasising the proximity of the historical aqueduct just six metres away from the proposed development.

While not objecting to the demolition of the former hotel, the cultural heritage watchdog noted that the sreetscape of both Notabile and Bontadini roads featured houses of the same style and proportions, compromising mainly two-storey buildings.

Charlot Sultana, who owns the site home, is proposing the demolition of the existing building, the excavation of four levels of basement garages and the construction of five overlying floors and a receded one at roof level.

The SCH has invoked a planning circular issued in 2020 obliging developers presenting applications next to scheduled monuments to present photomontages to ensure a proper assessment of the visual impact of such developments on the surrounding context.

In this case, it specifically asked for photomontages from various viewpoints, “especially from across the road”.

The local plan imposes a height limitation of two floors and a semi basement in this area but a policy approved in 2017 allows an additional two floors on residential homes when the development is judged to respect the context of the area.

The site was previously used as a hotel originally called the Albatross Hotel before being rebranded as the Wignacourt Hotel.

According to the application, the residential home proposed would be named for Saint Helen, the patron saint of Birkirkara.

In 2002, the Planning Authority had refused to issue a permit to another applicant to change the same hotel into a retirement home. Subsequently the PA had issued an outline permit establishing parameters for residential development instead of the hotel but this was never followed up with a full permit application.

Antoine Attard, the minority leader in the B’Kara local council, has also presented an objection on behalf of PN councillors warning that the proposed 19-metre high “monster building” would “completely ruin the entire streetscape of the area and goes against planning policies zoning the area as a residential one”.