Buġibba buildings designed by Richard England face demolition for 112 apartments

Developers have applied to demolish a row of Buġibba properties, including some designed by renowned architect Richard England, to make way for a sprawling seven-storey complex of 112 apartments with jacuzzis and pools.

A petition objecting to the project drew 132 signatures from people who say it represents “unsustainable urban growth” and a threat to the area’s tourism appeal while being “aimed solely at short-term profit”.

The development at Lancaster Court also appears to involve the demolition of the nearby Sunseeker Hotel. An application to introduce two cul-de-sacs at the hotel site, while not mentioning demolition works, shows the hotel as proposed for development.

The brightly coloured Lancaster Court features properties dating back to the 1960s, including several designed by England. Asked about the plans, the eminent architect said: “The onus is entirely on the Planning Authority; they have to judge it.”

Meanwhile, Times of Malta understands the developers have already started to offer units at the proposed development for sale – despite the project not yet receiving planning permission.

Planning Authority graphics showing the sites of the Lancaster Court development (left, top and bottom) and a render of how the property will look (right).

In March, Silvan Mizzi, construction magnate Joseph Portelli’s business partner, applied to demolish properties on the corner of Triq il-Ħalel and Triq il-Gliba, excavate three basement levels and build 70 apartments across seven floors.

The same day, Karl Baldacchino Meli, head of sales and acquisitions at J Portelli Projects, applied to knock down adjacent properties, excavate two basement levels and build 42 apartments across seven floors.

Both applications include basement-level parking, a ground floor office, pools and jacuzzis, with Mizzi’s application also including three ground floor garages.

The architect for both projects is former Building and Construction Authority (BCA) chairperson and longstanding Portelli associate Maria Schembri Grima.

An application covering the site of the hotel shows the tourist accommodation as being proposed for development. Graphic: Planning Authority

A planning control application – a type of permit for changes to land use, street layout and building heights – covering both Lancaster Court plots was filed on behalf of Trivium Properties, a company co-owned by Kurt Polidano, the legal and finance project manager for Portelli, Mizzi and J Portelli Projects.

That application seeks “proposed changes to building alignment including introduction of cul-de-sac” at the site of the two planning permits.

Meanwhile, another planning control application – also filed on behalf of Trivium Properties – seeks “proposed changes to building alignment and front garden alignment to include two cul-de-sacs” for the nearby Sunseeker Hotel, which overlooks the properties slated for demolition.

A planning application covering construction works has not yet been filed for the hotel but the planning control application for the site includes a graphic showing the hotel as proposed for development.

At the time of publication, no rooms were showing as available at the hotel past March next year, according to the Sunseeker website.

Schembri Grima is the architect for both planning control applications.

Applications lodged with the Planning Authority suggest the Sunseeker Hotel will also be demolished if the development plans go ahead. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

‘Low-quality units’

Objectors to the plans argue the development represents a “significant shift” at the site; they say the building area will jump 145% in size, while the property frontage will leap by a staggering 1,600%.

In a letter lodged with the Planning Authority (PA) by an architect on their behalf, the objectors said the apartment complex would add to the area’s population density, producing a “domino effect on the area”.

Daniela Frendo, one of the residents behind the objection letter, said at least 13 nearby residents were "terrified about the whole thing", highlighting concerns over impacts to traffic and water infrastructure and fears the development's construction would turn the residential area into a “quarry”.

Describing Buġibba as “saturated” with “small, poorly designed flats that neither serve the needs of families nor support long-term residential living”, the objectors said the development would add “even more low-quality units, aimed solely at short-term profit rather than sustainable urban growth”.

Residents fear that replacing the row of colourful properties with a sprawling development will erode their quality of life – and the area’s tourist appeal. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

They argued the project threatens to overwhelm sewage and drainage infrastructure – described as already under “significant strain” – while warning it would erode the area’s tourism appeal and lead to “unimaginable vehicle congestion”.

“Such a significant transformation to an area will have an obvious effect on the liveability of the area for a considerable amount of time and should be considered wisely and not in isolation from ongoing effects of the building sector,” the letter read.

“The residents are not objecting to ‘development’, they are objecting to unsustainable development,” it said.