Vittoriosa council slams 'ridiculous' plan for boutique hotel with rooftop pool

A plan to extend a Vittoriosa residence on a narrow street into a boutique hotel with a rooftop pool is facing objections from residents and the town's local council.

Councillors fear the proposal, which they have branded "ridiculous", will ruin the skyline of one of Vittoriosa's most historic streets.  

Applicant Ivan Zammit - who is distinct to the Ivan Zammit behind Open Island Ltd and its various Cottonera projects- is seeking permission to alter the property on Triq it-Tramuntana, install a lift and extend the building to accommodate a rooftop pool while changing the usage to a guest house. The application also includes the restoration of the building’s facade. The architect for the project is Melanie Spiteri.

The property sits on a narrow street and is metres away from the historic Grade 1-protected Norman House. 

While the application (PA/07743/25) proposes extending the building “to reach adjoining height of neighbouring properties”, images of the plans and street uploaded to the Planning Authority (PA) website suggest it will rise above the front-facing sides of the adjoining properties.

An image of the surrounding area uploaded to the PA website by developers shows some properties rising above two floors.

The extension would see the property rise above neighbouring buildings, according to development plans. Graphic: PA.

A Google Maps image uploaded by developers appears to show the planned development in red, with other buildings in the area above two floors shown in green. Graphic: Google Maps/PA.

Council: 'Ridiculous' proposal will ruin skyline

The application has attracted a slew of complaints, including from the local council and residents, who argue the “intrusive” proposal would negatively impact the historical and social qualities of the street while contradicting development policies.

The local council “strongly objected” to the proposal following a meeting last month, stressing the development is in a “sensitive area adjacent to the oldest and most highly regarded historic heritage house in Birgu [Vittoriosa]”.

Developers want to extend this property upwards and install a rooftop pool. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier.

The council noted that internal features of the Grade 1 listed Norman House two doors up, thought to date back to the 13th century, suggest it could date back further to the period of Arab rule of Malta, some two centuries earlier.

It said the “ridiculous” proposal would “spoil the aesthetics” of the Vittoriosa and Triq it-Tramuntana skylines – the latter, it noted, is “a few metres wide” – while increasing activity “in such a quiet area, even for the residents of the street”.

“This is an area frequented by many tourists because it is one of the most historic streets in Birgu ... Therefore, the Birgu Local Council objects to this application and stresses that it should not be approved.”

Residents: 'Big eyesore'

Charlie Bugeja, who owns and restored the Norman House, called the proposal a “big eyesore”.

Speaking to Times of Malta, Bugeja stressed there were “technical reasons why this should not be approved,” while arguing that if the development was allowed to go ahead, “others can follow.”

Describing the envisaged extension as creating a “tower” next to the Norman House, he warned that with short-let conversions becoming more popular in the area, Vittoriosa could end up with properties displaying authentic facades “but with nothing original inside”.

The nearby Norman House is thought to date back to at least the 13th century, and possibly earlier. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier.

Meanwhile, an architect assisting a group of 18 nearby residents who have filed a joint objection to the proposal said the street's “ensemble of well-preserved facades has helped maintain the cultural identity, context, integrity and sense of place within Vittoriosa’s Urban Conservation Area [UCA]”.

The project's application form, filed by the applicant, states that the property is not within Vittoriosa’s UCA.

The architect representing residents said the building would extend to five floors should the application be approved, arguing the new height of the property would run counter to Malta's national Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED), Development Control Design Policy, Guidance and Standards (DC15) and the Grand Harbour local plan.

The development would also “create blank party walls on all sides of the property” while affecting third-party servitudes, the architect noted.

The PA’s design advisory committee has requested an extended streetscape of the road before making a recommendation, while the Malta Tourism Authority noted that no application had been received by the authority by mid-December.

The deadline for objections to the proposal is today, January 5.