The Planning Authority today approved an outline application for development on the Cloisters site in St Julian’s.
The proposal, according to the Planning Authority website, is for “an outline application for conversion and restoration of existing scheduled building into Boutique Hotel including restaurant. To establish building envelope on the remaining area.”
The site proposed for development consists of Grade 2 scheduled building known locally as 'The Cloisters' with an adjoining large garden. The site is located on a corner abutting Triq L-Imrabat, Triq is-Sorijiet and Triq Bonavia in St Julian’s and lies on the border with an Urban Conservation Area.
The developers, Bilom Group, plan on adding a new storey on the existing building and constructing a 21m high apartment building at the back.
The architect said that the part of the site which is currently scheduled, will be used as a boutique hotel, in addition to a floor they will build above it. He said there are a certain number of rooms which are needed to make it worth turning into such a hotel.
Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar representative Astrid Vella has said about the application, that “ adding an extra storey to this already massive house, which will ruin its elegant proportions, creating an unsightly massing since the additional floor is not stepped back. Under the guise of a heritage redevelopment, an apartment block is being planned by stealth in the mansion’s garden.”
The proposal has been met by opposition from the local council, as well as heritage NGOs, like Din L-Art Helwa.
The case officer’s report read that the proposal to carry out interventions (addition of a floor) on the scheduled building and the development of the rest of the site can be positively recommended.
“This is an outline application, hence only the principle of the proposed development has been discussed. Details relating to other planning parameters such as height, design, external appearance, parking provision together with any required clearances are subject to an eventual submission of a full development permission application.”
FAA Representative Astrid Vella, during the hearing, said that the boutique hotel part of the proposal will see 30-rooms included. “It is listed as a boutique hotel, yet in many EU countries, laws state that a boutique hotel can have no more than seven rooms.”
There is no need to have such over-development in order to make such a project viable, she said. "These are high-end projects charging high prices for quality tourists. The obligation to over-develop is questionable. “
Turning to the façade, she said the proportions of these buildings were conceived are not taken into consideration. “No this is not a palace, but it is not only palaces that are worthy of protection. It was scheduled on its own merit as a baroque style building. The architects of the time laid emphasis on proportions and streetscape, yet we want to add a floor to de-nature the proportion of the building, obliterating the symmetry of the vertical axis. I feel that even if this feature was added at a later time, the whole building proportion is being changed. While, by-all means, re-develop this building, do not mutilate it or overwhelm it by the massing proposed at the back. “
The architect, in response, said that local law states that 30-rooms is the parameter for a boutique hotel. He said that a boutique hotel is in an urban centre and does not have the amenities major hotels have. He objected to the ‘mutilation’ statement, and said that this particular Grade 2 building is one of the poorest building's he has ever worked on.
The NGO and ERA representatives on the board objected due to over-development reasons, however the rest of the board voted in favour.
While the architect did provide four possible designs for the project, it was decided that the design will be discussed during the full development permission application stage.