An architect seeking to build a pencil development among a row of Swieqi townhouses replied to residents' concerns about raising blank party walls by saying that they were "only temporary". 

Architect Christian Spiteri said that just because a few houses along the street did not want to develop their property, it did not give them the right the prevent his client from doing so. 

Spiteri, on behalf of applicant Christopher Stanley, was arguing in favour of a planning application that wants to demolish a terraced house in Triq il-Ħemel in Swieqi and build a block of five flats instead. 

A group of residents as well as the local council have been vocal in their opposition to the project. 

But during a sitting discussing the case on Friday, Spiteri said that their plans for the site must be evaluated in the correct context. 

He said the application was to develop in the context of that scheme and would maintain consistency in the area - that was no longer a two-storey terraced house area.

He insisted that the application observed the height limitations in the local plan.

“Just because there are 10 owners that do not want to develop their house, it does not mean they have a supreme right to change the applications of others like my client,” he said adding that the houses were not of some architectural heritage that deserved some form of special protection.

He also said that the blank party walls were temporary and would not remain there forever as adjacent buildings could be developed.

This earned him a swift rebuke from Swieqi mayor Noel Muscat. 

“The way you’re talking is the proper destruction of Malta: 'Let’s go ahead and keep destroying'. On the contrary, we are saying: 'Let’s save what we can'," he said. 

Height of apartments would 'ruin' streetscape - objectors 

During the sitting, Timothy Bartolo and Tara Cassar, who represented residents, said this project exceeded the height limitation for the area by two storeys and would create blank party walls on both sides. This would ruin the streetscape. 

The house that will be demolished if planning permission is granted.

They also argued that the project would be in breach of an agreement made with the Archbishop’s Curia.

The terraced house in question was built on a plot of land known as Art Tal-Kbira originally granted by the Archbishop’s Curia to engaged couples to construct terraced houses.

This was a contractual obligation which remained when Church properties were transferred to the Joint Office, they argued.

The objectors also cited a landmark court decision in which, last year, the Court of Appeal overturned a decision to allow a terraced house, in a row of 20 terraced houses in Triq il-Ġibjun, Santa Luċija, to be demolished and turned into four apartments and a penthouse.

The court ruled that just because the local plan’s height limitation permitted buildings of the height applied for, it did not mean that the permit ought to be granted. Any new building had to respect the context of the buildings it was located in.

Short-let apartments are a problem in Swieqi

Mayor Noel Muscat said Swieqi had a big problem with overpopulation and new blocks were being rented out as short lets.

“The planning authority does not get into it, but it should because short lets are of a commercial nature and they are disturbing the locality tremendously - there is vandalism, disturbance at night and problems with waste management,” he said adding: “We are not against all development, but there must be a balance between the locality and the short let population.”

The case was deferred to October 25. 

A front elevation of the proposed development. Photo: Planning Authority