Historic boathouse in St George's Bay risking demolition
Protection urged as the db Group seeks permit to remove it
The Momentum political party has called for immediate protection for an old boathouse in St George’s Bay after the Lands Authority gave the go-ahead to the db Group for a development application to demolish it.
Momentum noted that the developers themselves declared in a planning application that the boathouse site is government-owned. The clearance, issued on November 13, allows the application process to proceed but does not grant ownership or any legal rights over the land.
The boathouse dates back to the late 19th century and formed part of the historic St George’s Barracks complex, as confirmed by research conducted by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage.
Official records, including a 1897 Ordnance Survey and a 1926 military plan, indicated that the structure was used to accommodate military vessels. It may feature architectural elements worthy of preservation.
Momentum said it was particularly alarmed that the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage stated that it could not adequately assess the impact of the proposed demolition due to the absence of internal photographic documentation.
It called on the superintendence to appoint a representative on site to ensure that no demolition or irreversible works take place until a full heritage assessment is completed.