Zejtun council calls for protection of villa targeted by developers

Developers are proposing a new road passing right through the gardens of an 18th century villa in Zejtun and its removal from the locality’s urban conservation area through two separate applications, which have been met by more than 150 objections including that of the locality’s local council which is calling for the villa to be given maximum protection as a Grade 1 monument.

While the changes to the road alignment is being proposed in a zoning application, the unprecedented request to remove the villa grounds from the urban conservation area is being done through a normal planning application requesting a “change of use.” The legality of the application is being questioned by Din l-Art Helwa since such changes to the local plan can only be contemplated in zoning applications.

Anthony Cardona who claims ownership of the 4892-sq.m site is proposing the development. The villa’s gardens are presently designated as a green enclave. No residential development is allowed in green enclaves.

The application proposes the removal of the site from the UCA area as well as the designation of the area as a green enclave designated the entire site as a ‘residential area’.  

The application foresees “residential units instead of the dilapidated rooms and landscaping will form part of residential units”. The developers have also presented a zoning application to change the road alignment to cater for the residential units.

The Zejtun Council along with Wirt iz-Zejtun and Din l-Art Helwa is strongly objecting to the development and has called for the scheduling of the villa and its gardens as a Grade 1 monument.

“We strongly object to the project and call on the Planning Authority to preserve the Urban Conservation Area of the locality,” locality mayor Maria Dolores Abela said in an objection presented to the PA.

The villa in question was built in the neo classical style and bears the coat of arms of the Testaferrata Bonici family. Its distinctive features include an arch roofed living quarters and two gateways. The Bonici branch of the family is intimately tied with the history of Zejtun, having donated the land on which Saint Catherine’s Church is build.

The villa and its grounds were included in a heritage trail organised by the council and Wirt iz-Zejtun known as Plakka Storja.

Din l-Art Helwa warned that the objective of these application is to eventually attain permission for the demolition of the historical villa and gardens to develop blocks of apartments. Din l-Art Helwa noted that the planning application seeking a change in the UCA designation is illegal as this requires a zoning application.