Guest house proposed in Hamrun’s oldest building
A planning application has been submitted to convert Palazzo Atocia, a dilapidated Grade 1 listed building in Ħamrun, which dates back to the time of the Order of Saint John, into a 16-room guesthouse
![Palazzo Atocia](http://content.maltatoday.com.mt/ui/images/photos/screenshot_2025-02-03_at_09.56.31.png)
A planning application has been submitted to convert Palazzo Atocia, a dilapidated Grade 1 listed building in Ħamrun, which dates back to the time of the Order of Saint John, into a 16-room guesthouse.
The building, badly damaged in a fire 20 years ago and which received a direct hit during the insurrection of the Maltese against the French, has remained in a ruinous state for decades.
The works proposed by new landowner Paul Vella include demolishing non-historic accretions, cleaning and restoring the external façade, repairing and reconstructing collapsed or dangerous slabs, and constructing a four-floor annex in the existing yard.
Throughout its history, the property has undergone several alterations and was subsequently divided into four distinct tenements. Significant architectural features within the property include masonry arches, a barrel vault, double-skinned walls, and timber beams. The site also abuts a Grade 2 historical building.
SCH does not object, but DLH concerned with additions
While the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage (SCH) has not objected to the redevelopment, it insisted that any approved works must respect the historical significance of the property and its surroundings.
The site has already been inspected by SCH officials, and their findings have confirmed the property’s architectural and historical value.
A spokesperson for the SCH confirmed that another inspection is due to verify the presence of additional historical features within the property, which reportedly include “shrapnel marks and a graffito of a board game on a tile.” These features, if confirmed, are considered to have considerable cultural heritage value, warranting preservation and appropriate treatment.
The SCH has acknowledged the relatively minimal impact of the proposed development on the building’s historical fabric, noting that the rear extensions will be constructed using contemporary materials, ensuring the historical elements of the structure remain distinguishable.
However, the SCH insisted that the proposed extension should not exceed the height of party walls bearing onto the property and should also partially preserve a yard to the rear. The SCH has expressed concern over the proposed demolition of staircases within the property.
It has also requested a Restoration Method Statement detailing the proposed restoration and maintenance works for assessment.
However, leading conservationist NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa has objected to the proposed alterations and the development of the courtyard, arguing that these changes will severely impair the historical and architectural legibility of this Grade 1 scheduled property and significantly diminish its heritage value. They also pointed out that policies do not allow structural changes to Grade 1 listed buildings, which enjoy the highest level of protection.
Historical background
The building, located at the corner of Atocia Street and St Francis Street, incorporates addresses 9, 10, 11 (the palace), 12, 13, 14, and 15. In the past, these were joined together to form one large palace, originally surrounded by fields and open spaces.
There are no coats of arms or inscriptions on the palace, but it features a large main entrance with steps—an uncommon feature for a regular house. The building is said to be the town’s oldest, dating back over 400 years. A large balcony with balustrades once protruded outward but has since been enclosed with a stone wall.
During the French blockade of 1798–1800, one of the windows overlooking Atocia Street was hit by a bomb and damaged. It has remained in that state ever since.
The Zahra brothers, including Mons. Franġisku Saverju Zahra, purchased the palace along with all its commodities, from Baron Carmelo Zammit Gauci on 30 October 1919, according to the notary acts of Salvatore Borg Olivier. The Zammit Gauci family had inherited it from their father, Baron Filippo Zammit Gauci of Ħaż-Żebbuġ.
In June 2002, members of the Civil Protection Department extinguished a fire in the building, reportedly caused by candles lit by squatters. Since then, an application to convert the property into residential units and garages has been abandoned.
The building was boarded up but has remained in a state of total neglect.