The planning appeals tribunal has revoked a permit for a hotel to be developed on Rabat’s Saqqajja Hill because permission was granted before geological studies were done.

The appeal was filed by Moviment Graffiti, Din l-Art Helwa and The Archaeological Society.

The permit was for a five-storey 81-room hotel at Saqqajja Hill in Rabat which is where the former Tattingers nightclub used to be.

In April 2021 the Planning Authority issued a permit to Dominic Micallef for this hotel on the basis that archaeological and geological studies are done to assess the impact of the excavations on the heritage site before the works began.

The planning appeals tribunal has revoked the permit after upholding the objectors’ argument that the studies of the geological impact of the development, which were presented after the issue of the permit, should have been issued before the permit was issued.

Board members, Chris Cilia and Annick Bonello had already expressed their disappointment that not all studies were completed before the issuing of the permit.

The objectors said that the studies could reveal design problems which would have been present before the issuing of the permit.

Now the tribunal is asking the PA to write up a new case officer report including the geological impact of the development, specifically, the excavation of the underground passage next to the Loġġa tal-Palju in order to prevent any damage from being done.

The tribunal has also asked for a restoration method statement which would describe the restoration plans on a revetment wall.

There was a lot of dispute as to whether or not there was the existence of a large cistern as identified in the plans. Therefore, the tribunal also asked the PA to remove any reference to there being a cistern because this could not be confirmed.

The tribunal further insisted on more consultation with the design advisory committee and also accepting designs from third parties in order to give more importance to the design of the hotel.