Historic Villa Buleben cleared for conversion into heritage hotel
Planning Board approves scaled-down 32-room project despite hundreds of objections
The Planning Board on Thursday gave the green light for the iconic Villa Buleben in Zebbug to be turned into a “high-end heritage hotel”.
The PA approved the full development application of the restoration and adaptive reuse of the Grade 2 villa estate into a heritage hotel “securing the long-term conservation” of one of the locality’s most significant historic properties.
The plan to convert the 18th century privately-owned palazzo into a 32-room boutique hotel had received more than 570 objections . Both the Żebbuġ local council and Superintendence of Cultural Heritage had strongly objected to the development.
However, the project has been “downscaled” since then and underwent a “complete redesign”.
The application (PA/08425/20) proposes the construction of a three storey extension to the existing palazzo and 13 individual rooms scattered within the gardens, as well as a swimming pool. The plan also includes the restoration and alterations of the palazzo, gardens, surrounding boundary walls and nearby Grade 1 listed chapel of Our Lady of Forsaken Souls.
The original proposal had to be revised following objections submitted by the Environment and Resources Authority and the current proposal will “complement the villa with a clear demarcation so that traditional and contemporary architecture will coexist in an ordered relationship of transition throughout time and space,” the PA Board heard during the meeting on Thursday.
During the assessment process, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) requested that the proposed structures within the garden be relocated and arranged in a more dispersed manner to better safeguard the setting of the Grade 1 scheduled chapel.
The project architect, Perit Edwin Mintoff explained that the individual “huts” scattered in the garden will not be visible from outside the site.
The project initially proposed the inclusion of two wings to the South and North of the Villa and excavation of three underground levels but the plans were later revised, removing the wing to the North, eliminating extensive excavation works and introducing small units at the back of the garden. The total number of rooms was reduced from 51 units to 32.
The proposal follows the outline development permission granted in 2025 and is intended to “breathe new life into a long-vacant landmark while safeguarding its architectural and cultural significance,” the PA said.
The proposal received the support of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, subject to conditions relating to restoration works, archaeological monitoring and landscaping.
Financial guarantees have also been imposed to ensure the proper implementation and long-term maintenance of the approved restoration and landscape interventions.
The Planning Board concluded that the proposal “strikes an appropriate balance between the conservation of an important cultural heritage asset and its sustainable reuse”, ensuring the long-term preservation of the property.
Villa Buleben, known locally as ‘Tal-Baruni’ is a two-storey grand palazzo, with large gardens of different sizes, water channelling for irrigation and several structures which possibly served as servants’ quarters.