Dwelling to replace Melita restaurant

A single large dwelling is being proposed to replace the existing Melita restaurant in Balzan.

The application, presented by Robert Desira Buttigieg, will retain the existing building and garden while removing more recent additions. The only significant change is the proposed swimming pool within the garden.

Plans also include uncovering and restoring an original fountain found within the garden grounds. The Malta Tourism Authority has already issued its clearance for the proposed change of use from a restaurant to a residence, while the proposed design has been endorsed by the Design Advisory Committee, which advises the Planning Authority on design matters.

The property, owned by the same family for the past 125 years, was listed for sale earlier this year with an asking price of €5.5 million. Despite this, the original owners submitted an application in July to convert the restaurant into a residence, shortly after the property was put on the market. The application has been open for public consultation in recent weeks.

The popular restaurant was closed after an 18-year lease for the use of the site as a restaurant was terminated last July, when the Melita Gardens were returned to the Buttigieg Desira family.

The garden itself originally formed part of the grounds of San Anton Gardens, built by the Order of the Knights of St John in the early 17th century.

The property was rebuilt as a residence in the late 19th century in its current Art Nouveau architectural style. During the Second World War, it briefly served as a small hotel.