The Planning Authority has approved the conversion of a villa into a hotel in Naxxar, an act which will see an historic garden be excavated to facilitate the project.

The development will see the excavation of the present tree-filled garden, which was described by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage as “historic”, to make way for a basement car park. The applicant is promising to reinstate the garden at a later stage, but a substantial part of the present garden will be occupied by a pool area.

The project is located in Triq Santa Luċija and Triq Ħal Dgħejf in Naxxar, and was given the thumbs up from the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage – despite their description of the site – and the PA’s Design Advisory Committee.

The application for the site read that the plan was to restore and convert a dilapidated dwelling into a guest house, “including restoration of facade, demolition of additions not forming part of the original structure, to be replaced by additional guest rooms and ancillary facilities.

It will see the construction of a residential block on adjoining vacant land comprising 16 basement garages and 6 commercial car parking spaces (at level -1), 3 ground floor maisonettes, 9 apartments at level 1-3 (3 on each floor) and 2 overlying units at 4th/setback level. The footprint of the basement garages extends beneath existing dwelling garden (to be excavated) to cater for required parking spaces of proposed guesthouse and provide back-of-house service access. Garden is to be reinstated including construction of pool.”

The vacant site is located within the limits of development of Naxxar at Triq Hal Dghejf while a two-storey residential building lies within the Urban Conservation Area at Triq Santa Lucija.

The case officer had originally recommended that the case be refused, as the application went against policy “which specifies that facade setbacks at the ground floor level are not allowed within designated residential areas.”

Concerns from sections of the public were raised that the development will result in the complete loss of a historic garden that forms an integral part of this property. The garden serves as an ecological corridor as part of the web of mature gardens characterizing these properties in the heart of Naxxar's Urban Conservation Area.

Fresh plans were however submitted to address the issue.