Fresh plans filed to replace Garden of Eden with 14 bungalows, up from 12

A developer who intends to replace the Garden of Eden wedding hall in Żurrieq with a series of luxury bungalows has filed fresh plans for the site. 

The new plans proposes building 14 bungalows at the site, up from the previous 12, while retaining the same built-up footprint.

Currently, the clifftop site is occupied by two reception halls, a nightclub, a derelict farm house and a car park. The site covers over 4,500 square metres, with a total built-up area of almost 1,900 square metres.

Applicant Maurizio Baldacchino from Baldacchino Holdings Ltd was granted an outline development permit (PA/06673/20) to demolish the buildings on the site and replace them with 12 bungalows and pools at the end of 2023. 

An outline permit is used by applicants to gauge whether the scale of their project is acceptable, but is not a full development permit. They would need to apply for this separately.

Earlier this year, Baldacchino Holdings Ltd, alongside architect Ray Demicoli, filed fresh plans (PA/04861/25) to increase the number of bungalows from 12 to 14 while retaining the same built-up footprint of 1,562 square metres.

Drawings of the proposed 14 bungalows that will replace the wedding venue. Photo: Planning Authority

The paved areas and pools will take up 2,100 square metres, and further soft landscaping will take up 1,779 square metres. 

The new plans foresee the construction of six small bungalows of around 61 to 63 square metres near the entrance, and eight larger bungalows ranging between 139 and 148 square metres, each with its own pool.

The plan also includes a car park next to the entrance, the drawings of which are very similar to the ones approved in the outline permit.

The outline permit had received numerous objections from environmental activists. There was no objection made by the Environmental Resources Authority (ERA) or the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage.

However, the permit was granted after the applicants filed a new application, which significantly downsized from the original proposal, which covered the entire area of over 22,000 square metres.

Alongside the outline permit, the applicants also applied to restore a car park that is located across the road and was built illegally. The Planning Authority also approved this application.