A proposal to turn two historic Rabat townhouses into a boutique hotel remains “unacceptable”, the Rabat mayor has said, days after the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage gave the thumbs up to the project.

The council will continue fighting “tooth and nail” against the proposal and maintains that the unique houses should be protected, Sandro Craus told Times of Malta.

The proposal to turn the two landmark buildings at the entrance to Rabat and Mdina would see the development of a 30-room boutique hotel.

In a report filed with the Planning Authority, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage said it had taken note of the developer’s scaled-down plans, including the removal of the rooftop pool, and therefore was no longer objecting to the proposal.

The superintendence said it would be liaising with the Planning Authority to ensure adequate protection of the houses overlooking Saqqajja Square as well as other nearby 19th and 20th century houses on St Augustine’s Avenue at the back.

Residents have made it clear they are not enthused by the proposal. Photo: Jonathan Borg

But Mr Craus, who had objected to the proposed development before being elected mayor, said that while he was not averse to the investment, it had to respect the surroundings.

Why are the houses valuable?

The Rabat council filed a request to the Planning Authority to schedule the row of six Victorian-era houses built in the late 19th century on the design of renowned architect Andrea Vassallo.

Mr Vassallo was responsible for other masterpieces like the Ta’ Pinu basilica in Gozo, Villa Rosa in St Julian’s and the gothic house in St Paul’s Square in Mdina, as well as other houses and churches in Malta.

Let us not repeat the mistakes done in Sliema

What are developers proposing?

According to the proposal, houses numbered 14 and 15, as well as houses 12 and 13 on St Augustine’s Avenue, will be turned into a boutique hotel.

The proposal would entail the addition of two storeys overlooking the square and four on the avenue side.

The developer reduced the number of rooms, dropped the height from five to four storeys and moved the swimming pool to the topmost level. In the latest designs, the swimming pool was eliminated completely as was the bar planned in the garden overlooking St Augustine’s Avenue.

Why is the council objecting?

Despite these scaling-down efforts, Mr Craus said the project is out of tune with the area.

“I am not against the investment and neither the idea of having a boutique hotel there,” he said.

“We would encourage that, but it needs to respect the area. We are against the demolition of the interior. The houses should be restored and turned into a boutique hotel which respects its surroundings.

“Let us not repeat the mistakes done in Sliema where historic houses had façades retained and extra floors added. In some cases, they’re a sight for sore eyes,” he added.

Mr Craus said the council and residents were counting on the support of MPs elected on the district to “stand up and be counted” for the protection of the historic houses.

One such MP is Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg, who told Parliament last December that the hotel application may be a non-starter as it appeared that the additional floors would have a negative impact on the historic building and the designated area of high landscape value of which Saqqajja forms part.

Another hotel application has been submitted for an area a short distance away: 110 rooms built over five floors on a site now occupied by the ex-Tattingers club as well as some adjacent properties.