The Planning Authority's Planning Commission has turned down a request for demotion of a Balzan villa which is characterised by a majestic colonial dual staircase and a ceiling covered by frescoes.

The PA said in a statement that the commission refused to grant development permission for Villa Blackman to be changed to a childcare centre.  The change would have involved the demolition of the staircase and the frescoes-covered ceiling.

The villa is situated within a Residential Priority Area.

The project (PA/07470/22) was proposed by First Steps Ltd. with Jonathan Mizzi as the architect. 

The Commission confirmed the Development Management Directorate's view that the proposed change of use from a residence into a childcare facility would have a negative impact on the neighbourhood.

"Although the Policy Guidance for Child Day Care Facilities permits such developments within Residential Priority Areas, these may only be of a very small scale (home-based child day care facilities) and limited to a maximum of six children, in order that the residential amenity of the area remains largely uncompromised," the PA said.

It said that the stairwell, besides being unique, is by far the focal architectural element of the entire property.

"Unlike the weighty stone balustrades and stairs which were prevalent in the Baroque era, with the advent of Neo-Classicism in the 19th Century staircases displayed elaborate, decorative wrought-iron railings and marble steps, especially when the owner wanted to display affluence and a social class. In recent years, this grand hall with its stunning staircase featured in a publication dedicated to the different typologies, forms and architectural styles of stairs and staircases in Malta throughout the centuries," the PA said. 

The staircase at Villa Blackman.