Two of the most significant and beautiful houses in one of the stateliest streets left in Sliema will bite the bust if two applications by one and the same developer go through.

Flats and garages will go up in their stead.

The added dimension in the battle against the redevelopment of the houses at 9 and 10 Dingli Street lies in the ratified Local Plans, which many have maintained all along do not conform to EU regulations.

In the Local Plans approved in July 2006, changes were made to both the maximum heights allowed in Malta’s towns and villages, as well as street scheduling categories that indicate the level of preservation recommended in the Urban Conservation Areas.

In commenting on this exercise MEPA has consistently stated that the new heights being permitted “reflect the predominant heights” already in the area. In the case of Sliema each block has been rated individually, and in this case, only two sites out of the 11 on the block are medium-rise.

In spite of this, as well as the fact that the MEPA Heritage Advisory Committee has stated that this block includes some of the finest townhouses in Sliema, the building height has gone from two to five floors. The developers have also requested a semi-basement and penthouse, which, if accepted, would take the buildings to seven floors in real terms.

What’s more, while Nos. 4 to 9 and No. 15 were scheduled as Category B+, the two most notable houses, Nos.10 and 11 were actually downgraded to Category C, which gives the green light to easier ‘redevelopment’. How MEPA can justify the downgrading of the best façade on the block, instead of raising it to Grade A, is mind-boggling.

FAA spokesperson Astrid Vella said, “This is not an exceptional case. Some notable houses have been excluded from the Sliema Urban Conservation Area altogether. Several streets in the Sliema Urban Conservation Area with only two or three houses out of 10 or 11 sites have seen their building heights rise significantly. This interpretation of ‘predominant height’ reflects very strangely on MEPA’s maths.”

No. 9 Dingli Street is one house in an unbroken line of outstanding townhouses; although all slightly different to each other as each is representative of a slightly different style, the row maintains a strong unity because of similar proportions and colour schemes, but especially because of an untouched and uniform skyline, as can be seen in the photo.

No. 9 was designed by one of the 20th century’s most distinguished Maltese architects.

In the early years of his career Gustav Vincenti (1888–1974) formed part of a small group of eminent architects who tried to digress from the then popular traditional architecture that expressed strong classical grammar.

Giuseppe Psaila (1891–1960) and Andrea Vassallo (1856–1928) were another two prominent architects who created masterpieces including Balluta Buildings (completed in 1928) and Casa Said (1920s but now demolished) respectively.

While these two architects focused on the more sinuous, nature-inspired features of Art Nouveau, Vincenti opted for a less intense, rectilinear school having an appearance sometimes more akin to Art Deco.

An interesting touch in No. 9, which dates to circa 1928, is the architect’s interpretation of the Maltese closed balcony. Continuous horizontal and vertical elements give the facades a flowing character yet still attaining certain rigidity, and a quite geometric feeling.

As can be seen from the photo, No. 9 stands in a row of houses in Dingli Street which has an assortment of architectural styles very popular in Sliema architecture in the first half of the 20th century. The unknown architect of No. 10, probably built slightly later in the 1930s, used a unique Arts and Crafts style to give the Maltese double-fronted townhouse a stylishly new, very-much unique impression.

Preserving not the house but the entire row is important in saving this unique and now almost depleted heritage. Conservation of streetscape must be ensured. They are as important to our architectural history just as a rare Siculo-Norman building is in an Mdina street and just as a hard-to-find untouched Mannerist palace is in Valletta.

The mixture of almost a century-old architectural styles that still exist in Sliema; Neo-classical, Eclectic, Romantic, Art Nouveau and Art Deco juxtaposed by one another must be conserved totally as must their context in the street.

With such unique architecture Facadism is NOT an option as it does NOT preserve proportion and streetscape but rather insults the carefully studied design of the architects who created them. The plans submitted indicate seven floors on Dingli Street and eight floors on the back, which violates the five-floor height limitation for the area. There is also no provision for semi-basements in the area as proposed in the plans.

The proposed “interim floor” of six courses (filati) is highly questionable, and in all likelihood in violation of sanitary provisions.

While the developers are proposing to preserve the façade, the opening of a garage door is in violation of clause 7 of Supplementary Guidance 1995 which states that the provision of domestic garages in Grade 3 listed buildings (this house is of a higher standard, Grade 2) may be allowed “if the building is not on a village square or on a street of appreciable scenic value” as is the case with Dingli Street.

Furthermore, the garage only provides parking availability for three of the dwelling units and, due to the narrowness of the garage, some of the car spaces can only be accessed by moving other cars out, and therefore can only be shared by the same flat owners.

Given the fact that there is no attempt to develop No. 8 while the house at No. 10 Dingli Street is of scheduling quality and the application on it has been suspended, the proposal to build eight floors (including penthouse) at No. 9 would create an unacceptable party wall on either side which also contravenes MEPA policy. The tall and narrow structure being proposed would not only ruin the proportion and integrity of the individual façade, but also destroy the streetscape of the whole run of six houses which is a unique example of untouched architectural heritage.

10, Sir Adrian Dingli Street, Sliema has one of the finest façades on Sliema’s grandest street. It is safe to say that the style of this house is quite unique, neither Art Nouveau nor Art Deco; its heavily-ornamented façade has been designed in the ‘Arts and Crafts’ style of William Morris, a very eclectic choice of style, especially for Malta.

In fact, although it is flanked by houses of the same early 20th century period, it may be seen from the photos, that it does not resemble the more conventional style of the neighbouring houses.

Its imposing façade is heavily articulated and ornamented, and even its balcony does not conform to the typical Maltese closed box-balcony, but remains resolutely open in keeping with its English style.

As such, it is an outstanding example of British colonial architecture within the Sliema Urban Conservation Area. For this reason the following Cultural Heritage Act grading of architecture / engineering applies to this building:

Given the above, the butchering of this façade to create a garage entrance, a semi-basement and basement garaging below that, as well as six floors above should not even be considered. The addition of four stories above this fabulously-carved cornice would ruin the aesthetic balance of the building, its integrity and its character. The harmony of the whole block would also be destroyed because this house forms part of an unbroken row of fine, untouched, townhouses.

It is to be noted that Sir Adrian Dingli Steet is confirmed as a ‘B’ category street of specific conservation interest, so any decision taken should be seen in the light of this regulation.

A Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna spokesman said the association is greatly concerned that these houses, which are the best examples of Art Nouveau not just in Sliema but also in Malta, are to be demolished. MEPA must rethink its zoning policies with regard to Sliema.