Old Birkirkara townhouse saved as appeals tribunal confirms decision

The Environment and Planning Tribunal has confirmed the refusal of an apartment block in place of an old Birkirkara townhouse located in the urban conservation area, which was first refused due to its impact on the urban skyline.

The project on Triq Santa Rita and Sqaq Karla would have resulted in the partial demolition of the existing building to may way for a 10-garage basement, a terraced house, and 11 units built over four levels.

The EPRT concluded that the development was “unacceptable” for the partial demolition of a property with heritage value but also in terms of the proposing massing.

The development was proposed by Jason Mifsud’s Grand Property Holdings, and designed by architect and former planning minister George Pullicino. The applicant insisted that other commitments in the surrounding area made the proposed height of the project acceptable, and that the original fabric of the old building was being partially retained for an adequate transition with surrounding buildings. Features like a historical niche were to be integrated within the new build.

While earlier plans in 2019 foresaw a complete demolition of the building, in 2020 the main façade with its St Joseph niche and part of building visible from the street, were retained. The arched niche is at an angular pediment, topped by a cross, with a cornice at the bottom, a metal hook and lamp, and an 1886 inscription granting an indulgence.

Located at the edge of the town’s UCA, it is surrounded by modern and traditional buildings. But the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage had strongly objected to the demolition of the building, saying it was “an unacceptable intensification of development and will create an undeniable and negative impact both on the property and on the streetscapes.”

The PA’s case officer had suggested that the “right and sensitive alterations” could turn the proposed build into an “exemplary building showcasing out heritage while also being habitable.”

But as proposed the development disrupted the streetscape with blank party walls, as well as committing the rest of the perimeter for further extensions into the UCA.