Conservation NGO Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) has raised objections to a proposed hotel in Rabat, arguing it will be out of character with its surroundings and negatively impact the community.
In a statement on Thursday, the NGO said the three-star hotel proposed on Triq Gorg Borg Olivier in Rabat violated planning policies “on various counts”, pointing to several environmental and social impacts of the project.
Applicant Brian Azzopardi is seeking to build a 40-room three-star hotel, including a pool, “external recreation area” and with “inhouse amenities at basement level,” according to Planning Authority application PA/00862/25.
The proposal seeks to extend two adjacent properties, including alterations to both the insides and outsides of the properties, the application says.
Responding to the plans, FAA said the proposal violated the Rabat local plan and a separate policy covering the character of the area and the community impact of developments – a policy it said the proposal violated “on many points.”
It said the hotel would be out of character with its suroundings, which consist of old townhouses in an Urban Conservation Area.
The project will see a “large garden” destroyed and its soil covered in violation of regulations, with the development “greatly exacerbating traffic, noise and parking issues", it said.
“With only 32 parking bays nearby, the increase of up to 40 guest vehicles, plus staff and events guests’ cars, will make parking in the surroundings impossible,” the NGO said, adding coaches stopping at the hotel would cause “chaotic” traffic in the area.
Pointing to noise and light pollution from the hotel operations, which it said were known to have “long-term health implications” on nearby residents, it argued those operations would also put a strain on the local infrastructure and “exacerbate” existing issues.
Stressing the impact to the neighbourhood of the project, FAA said it would “disturb the quiet and peaceful environment necessary for the therapy of youngsters with special needs at the Dar Saura hub for children with disabilities.”
Meanwhile, "heavy traffic and noisy events” would undermine the concept of a multimillion-euro restoration of nearby Villa Lugisland, which was “being restored for artists to be inspired by the beauty of this gem and its peaceful surrounding gardens”, the NGO argued.
The plans were “incompatible with the logistic, social and environmental characteristics of the area, is going to undermine the quality of life of residents, and should be refused outright,” it said.
The organisation noted the public has until Friday February 28 to register their objections to the project.
The project has received scores of objections at the time of publication.