The site is adjacent to Villa Rundle Garden in Victoria and has access both from Republic Street and from the existing public car parking area behind the hotel.

The Authority’s Heritage Advising Committee (HAC) had informed the developers in a letter dated 13 July 1998 that “the facade of the existing hotel is to be retained.” However the developers commissioned an independent report prepared by Dennis De Lucca from the University of Malta in which the HAC recommendation was contradicted, saying to the contrary that “the facade has no architectural value whatsoever and that it actually exhibits an uncomfortable relationship with the rest of Republic Street.

The new development, expected to include a hotel complex of 40 bedrooms will have a modern facade for which detailed plans, elevations and sections will have to be submitted and approved as part of the full development

applications.