Valletta Hotel decision postponed following Planning Authority CEO’s intervention

The Planning Board has deferred its decision on GP Borg Holdings’ proposal to develop a new hotel overlooking Marsamxett Harbour and the narrow Old Theatre Lane.

The recommendation to postpone the decision was made by Planning Authority CEO, Johann Buttigieg in his first public intervention since his reappointment as the Authority’s Chief Executive Officer, due to the absence of clearances for the project from Transport Malta and the Design Advisory Committee, along with concerns raised by residents.

The new hotel, to be built over five levels (one of which will be recessed), will feature 29 guest rooms, a spa area, an indoor pool, and a wine bar, along with a one-floor extension to Preti House, a listed building dating back to the time of the Order of Saint John. GP Borg had won a public tender that earmarked Preti House for tourism development.

Although recommended for approval by the case officer, the project lacked final clearances from the Design Advisory Committee, which advises the Planning Authority on design issues, and from Transport Malta regarding the location of the offloading area. Lawyer Claire Bonello raised this issue during the meeting.

Buttigieg also called for further clarifications regarding whether the project aligns with sanitary regulations and for measures to mitigate the impact of chillers to be erected at the roof level. His intervention followed multiple concerns raised by residents from Old Theatre Lane, the narrow alley facing the hotel development.

Board member Martin Camilleri, who spoke favourably of the project, proposed several design changes to minimize its impact on residents.

After two years of discussions with the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage, the developers revised the contemporary design, which was originally characterized by long and narrow glass apertures, replacing them with traditional balconies and reducing the height by three meters. The project will now have one basement level instead of the three originally proposed.

Architect Tara Cassar questioned whether the proposal complies with sanitary regulations, stating that when the width of a street is less than three meters, the height should not exceed twice the width of the street. “We will have a new building of over 11 meters on a 2.4-meter-wide narrow alley,” she noted.

However, the project architect rebutted this, insisting that the width of the alley does not exceed three meters at any point. He also stated that the new building would be inclined further away from the alley than the existing structure.

Several residents lamented that the project would deprive them of their right to light and ventilation. Astrid Vella pointed out the overdevelopment in Valletta, which she believes is eroding the city’s authenticity as a living residential area, a key consideration for UNESCO’s World Heritage Status. She noted that the number of hotels in Valletta has increased from seven ten years ago to around 100 today.

In response, the project architect stated that the design had been approved by UNESCO’s technical committee in Malta. Additionally, a rooftop pool that was part of the original plans has been removed to address concerns from the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage.

The development is recommended for approval by the case officer and has received clearance from both the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Technical Committee in Malta. Both bodies had initially expressed concerns regarding the proposed building volumes.

The case officer’s report concluded that the development of the new hotel “would inject more economic activity into the capital city” and “secure the building’s upkeep and reuse.” Since no new parking spaces are being proposed due to the historical nature of the site, the case officer has recommended a contribution of €65,000 to the Planning Authority’s urban improvement fund to offset the shortfall of 11 parking spaces.