Moynihan house on St George's Bay to be demolished

A historical building on St George's Bay in St Julian's, Moynihan House, is set to be demolished to make way for a five-storey development including 6,012 square metres of office space, a language school and a restaurant.

The building has been on the Planning Authority’s waiting list for buildings deserving Grade 2 protection for the past years. But no final decision on its protection was ever taken.

The redevelopment of the historical building is part of the Villa Rosa project proposed by Anton Camilleri’s Garnet Investments.

The project also includes a new hotel on Cresta quay, a boutique hotel and apartments in the area next to Bay Street and 15 bungalows on the villa grounds.

A final decision on the project, which is recommended for approval by the Planning Authority, will be taken by the Planning Board on Thursday.

The fate of the building was sealed after the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage concluded that the building was not worthy of such protection.

The SCH’s decision contrasted with recommendation made in a study by Archaeology Services Limited included in the Environmental Impact Statement for the Villa Rosa development, which unambiguously concluded that both buildings deserve protection as Grade 2 Buildings.

In the report the retention of the two buildings is described as an essential element for the integrity of the cultural landscape of St George’s Bay, which will be “adversely impacted” by the project.

Dolphin House and the Moynihan House are located along Triq Ix-Xatt ta’ San Ġorg and a steep hill which leads to Triq il-Prof. W. Ganado.

Moynihan House

The old building consists of a two-storey building constructed in the 1860s, that includes a memorial plaque, currently covered by vegetation, indicating that it was the birthplace of Berkeley G.A. Moynihan – the internationally acclaimed British abdominal surgeon who served as president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England from 1926 to 1932,

The memorial plaque currently affixed on the building “will be recovered and remounted in the immediate vicinity,” of the building.

The Harq Hammiem Cave, a Level 1 Site of Scientific Importance, is located in the vicinity of Moynihan house itself.

Building not worthy of protection – Superintendence

Photomontage of proposed development (as presented by developers)

The Superintendence for Cultural gave its blessing to the demolition of Moynihan House after an inspection showed that the property was subjected to extensive reconstruction that reduced its cultural heritage value.

“The property does not have cultural heritage value that would warrant its preservation,” the SCH concluded. Nevertheless, the architect “agreed to include design details at this location that will evoke the memory of the British Period Building.”

The Superintendence has also asked the developer to prepare a Works Method Statement for excavation works to ensure that appropriate measures are taken and that works do not cause incidental damage to the Harq Hammiem cave which is located at the periphery of the property but which according to the SHC does not extend beneath the property.

The Superintendence also recommended a suitable guarantee should be sought from the developer by the Planning Authority to ensure the safeguard of the cave.

This development permission is subject to a bank guarantee to the value of €255,000 to ensure full compliance with the permit conditions.

The bank guarantee shall be reduced by €100,000 upon confirmation by the Environment and Resources Authority if no damage is done to the cave.

This project involves the development of 2,140sqm footprint of land into a 56-room, 4-star hotel on the Cresta quay site below road level and a kiosk at street level. The layout will allow for the use by the public of a 3m-wide strip along the coast.

The development will be carried over a footprint of 18,345 square metres, and a total gross floor area of 82,917 square metres divided into 10 different zones within three different areas.