11-storey Spinola hotel recommended for refusal

The Planning Directorate is recommending the refusal of an 11-storey hotel proposed in place of the modernist HSBC branch in San Ġiljan.

The main reason for the recommended refusal is the creation of a blank party wall overlooking Triq San Ġorg and Spinola Bay.

The development is being proposed under the Height Limitation Adjustment Policy for Hotels, which allows developers to add two additional floors above the height limit applicable to the area.

The policy stipulates that “no blank walls are to be created.”

However, the case officer noted that a Visual Assessment presented by the developer confirmed that the proposal will result in an extensive blank party wall overlooking Triq San Ġorg, which is also visible from long-range views from Spinola Bay.

The project architect justified this by referring to a previous permit issued on an adjacent site, which will have the same height.

In November 2024, the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage (SCH) also withdrew its objection on the basis that an adjacent hotel with a similar height, approved two years ago, had altered the area’s context.

However, the case officer noted that not enough has been done to mitigate the impact of the exposed blank party wall, which is being treated with a rendered design. This design included the use of beige and light brown paint with touches of turquoise along window-like structures engraved on the wall.

Nonetheless, the Planning Directorate is of the opinion that the proposed blank party wall is likely to have a negative visual impact on the existing streetscape and urban context, and that adequate stepping should be considered to treat any possible blank party walls.

This suggests that the development could still be approved if it is stepped down.

The Planning Commission will discuss the development proposed by Grahame Salt’s Berkeley Investments on 1 April.

The SCH also originally called for integrating the modernist bank façade into the new development. However, after architect Richard England, who designed the original building, stated that he had no objections to its demolition, the SCH dropped its stance on retaining the bank’s façade.