Lydia Abela, Prime Minister Robert Abela’s wife, has filed a planning application to turn an already-built farmhouse in Xewkija into a guesthouse. 

The property in Triq Mġarr ix-Xini in Xewkija spans some 1,910 square metres and the project does not envision the uptake of any further land. 

According to the submitted plans, the guesthouse will have eight bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms and will include a lounge breakfast area and wine cellar. The new plans will also see the inclusion of a swimming pool and deck area as well as a garden. 

In January, Abela had filed another application on the same property, seeking to excavate the site and build a residential pool and gym below street level, among other alterations. However, this was withdrawn shortly after. 

The change of use requested in the application indicates that the property is intended for commercial use. 

The Malta Tourism Authority has said it does not object to the proposal, clarifying that an operating license would still need to be issued after the permit is approved. 

Abela has been filing planning applications on this property since 2012 when she applied to have a pool built in the backyard. This was later renewed in 2017. Satellite images suggest that this pool has yet to be built.