Second application presented next to Dingli’s medieval chapel

A new application has been presented next to a medieval chapel in Dingli along a controversial new road constructed by Infrastructure Malta three years’ ago.

The latest application in Triq il-Kapella Medjevali was presented by land owner Brian Azzopardi for a five-storey block of nine flats with a pool on roof level.

Most of the site currently consists of agricultural land and abuts on a neighbouring afforested area. In their application, the proponent of the project declares that no trees will be uprooted.

This is the second development application to be filed since the new road was constructed in 2021. At the time, Moviment Graffitti had warned the new road would clear the way for more development in the environs of the historic chapel. Infrastructure Malta had said the road was needed to provide access to fire engines and emergency services.

The first application for a block of flats was presented in October 2023 by Angelica Stafrace.

Although located within the development zone, construction in this area was previously hampered by the absence of any road access.

In August, the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage had objected to the application presented by Stafrace because this will have an overbearing impact on a medieval chapel. But the Superintendence left a window open for development in the open space around the chapel, by saying that it “may consider” a development that does not exceed three full floors without a penthouse level. Following the SCH’s objection the architect of the project had requested a suspension of this application but no new plans have been presented so far.

The two proposed residential blocks are located within the buffer zone of the Santa Duminka chapel.

The chapel enjoys Grade 1 protection, and the proposed developments are just  17m to 26m away.

The works on the new road in 2021 were carried out in the absence of planning permits because it had been included in local plans after being schemed in the 1960s and because a legal notice dating back to 2008, exempts state bodies from seeking permits for the development of schemed roads.