The Planning Authority has deferred a decision on an application for alterations to an ODZ Baħrija villa that once belonged to former prime minister Dom Mintoff, instructing the applicant to address concerns.
The application, PA/05662/22, seeks to make changes to the existing farmhouse including alterations to the apertures, removal of a reservoir at roof level, construction of internal walls, as well as alterations to the existing boundary wall.
It has been recommended for refusal by the PA's case officer, who said the proposed boundary wall would be in an area of "high visual importance" and its construction would result in "a negative visual impact with the surrounding landscape", which, the case officer said has high landscape value.
The other main issue flagged by the case officer is that a large area of hard landscaping on the property that had not been requested for sanctioning resulted in the take up of soil and formalised land that was previously rural.
This, she pointed out, runs counter to planning policies that seek to facilitate sustainable rural development by controlling rural development, noting that both the Environmental Resources Authority and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage have raised concerns about this matter.
Additionally, she said that a bedroom and a study found on the property were built without a permit and that if the board should seek to vote against her recommendation for refusal then a request for sanctioning must be made and the proposed boundary wall replaced by a low rubble wall.
During the hearing on Friday, the board requested the architect provide images that show the proposed alterations superimposed on the existing development to show the potential impact it could have.
They also asked that the applicant address the reasons for refusal given to the project and deferred it to August 4.
In a representation sent to the PA, objector Noel Ciantar said that the building should be scheduled and protected considering its high historical importance.
The villa, known as Ix-Xabbatur, once belonged to Mintoff and once hosted North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il, Ciantar claimed in his letter.
Court documents show that Mintoff bought the land in 1967 and later built the villa with spectacular unobstructed views of the sea and countryside. He sold it 1988.