Din l-Art Helwa makes last plea to save The Cloisters gardens

The Planning Authority’s board will be taking a final decision on the proposed development of apartments in the gardens of the stately mansion called The Cloisters in St Julian’s today.

If approved, developers Bilom Group will be adding a new storey on the existing building and constructing an eight floor block at the back. According to heritage NGO Din l-Art Helwa, the case officer who recommended the project for approval failed to assess the historical importance of the building.

In a letter sent to the Planning Authority, Din l-Art Helwa claims that preliminary research indicates that this building predates the British Period and is most likely contemporary with the end of the rule of the Knights in Malta. 

“From the information available to us, it has resulted that no historical analysis has been requested by the case officer or other consulting bodies.

“This reflects very badly on the Planning Authority, which needs to take a decision in the light of the importance of this building,” Din l-Art Helwa said.

The planned extension will not only destroy the historic garden but will result in an eight-storey building which according to the NGO will completely overpower the historic building itself, “thus spoiling its context and rendering it a very inferior type of boutique hotel”.

While insisting that it is not against the use of this property as a boutique hotel as proposed, Din l-Art Helwa insists that the alterations that are being proposed are completely insensitive to the nature of this building, describing the proposed elevations on Triq Bonavita and Triq is-Sorijiet as “a very poor unacceptable attempt at marrying the extension with the old building”.

No photos of the interior of the building or the garden have been submitted.

The heritage NGO insists that the case officer should have also dismissed the application on the grounds that the existing plans fail to show the series of arches and beams that constitute the structural system of this late 18th century house. The alterations at ground floor and first floor levels are again damaging to the original structure.

In January MaltaToday reported that the Cloisters, a scheduled palazzo, was on sale for €3.7 million on a property website which states – incorrectly – that “the magnificent palazzo” comes with “permits approved for a 34-room boutique hotel”, apart from plans for a restaurant, reception and parking. In reality the Planning Authority decision, by its Environment Planning Commission, will be taken tomorrow. Originally a decision was to be taken by the Environment Planning Commission – the board which takes decisions on minor projects on a daily basis. But the decision was later handed over to the PA’s highest board. 

The Sliema local council has complained that no photos of the property had been presented, adding that “it is very likely that architectural elements of heritage value, possibly worthy of retention, might be found within this building”.  

But the case officer insisted that since the developers have applied for an ‘outline permit’ – a preliminary permit to set the parameters of the development – photographic details of the interior of the building and its grounds are not required at this stage.  

“Internal photos were not provided at this stage since this is an outline application where with regard to the scheduled property only the principle of a vertical addition to such building was being assessed.” 

This means that the PA would already have committed the area for development before assessing these details. 

The case officer contends that the development is in line with policies encouraging the regeneration and rehabilitation of historical buildings and that the development on the gardens will be stepped down, thus following policy.

The case officer’s report refers to the endorsement of the latest designs by both the Design Advisory Committee and the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage. The latest plans show the additional storey added on to the historical building built in a more traditional style.