Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar has objected to a planning application proposing the construction of a four-storey hotel housing 38 rooms overlooking the St Helen's Basilica in Birkirkara's Urban Conversation Area.

The application (PA4850/23) also reads that it will restore a dilapidated Palazzo which stands on Triq Santu Rokku, and then the building of the hotel will take place in the gardens belonging to the property which overlook Triq Mike Pulis.

FAA said that the proposal plans "to completely destroy the protected UCA garden in order to build four floors with 28 rooms in addition to those provided for in the palazzo itself."

In their objection, FAA said that the application "proposes to destroy a fabulous scheduled Palazzo of significant architectural value, facing the Collegiate Parish Church of St Helen, in the village core. 

It is planned to build 10 rooms in the Palazzo, including one suite room with roof terrace location of the outstanding, protected muxrabija."

The application, FAA said, runs counter to a number of policies.

"In addition, the proposed monstrous extension in the back garden will create an huge and unacceptable eyesore. Furthermore, it violates the principles of PA Circular 3/20 on Assessing Development Applications in the Setting of Schduled Buildings, "to ensure that the visual integrity of scheduled buildings is not impacted"

Moreover, this project further destroys the integrity of this palazzo by extensive excavation to transform an old cistern into an indoor swimming pool, FAA said.

"Besides bringing traffic into the village core, the project does not include parking facilities, thus it will exacerbate existing congestion issues (highlighted by the Central Malta Local Plan), especially on market days."

"Finally, the developer claims this absurdity: 'the project is necessary to safeguard the future of the palazzo... a necessary addition to the palazzo to make the hotel project economically viable. Thus, in this way, the palazzo can be saved and reinstated to its former glory'. Our heritage cannot be sacrificed to the 'economic viability' of questionable projects." The FAA strongly objected to the application.