Plans to expand Mellieħa's Pergola Hotel recommended for refusal

A controversial proposal to expand a Mellieħa hotel has been recommended for refusal almost three years after the application was first submitted, citing development policy conflicts, height and parking issues and objections raised by heritage authorities.

The PA case officer said the recently revived proposal to expand the four-star Pergola Hotel ran counter to the national urban development strategy and hotel heights policy and would see the hotel exceed the maximum height allowed by the local plans.

The case officer said it ran counter to the policy “requiring the building to be stepped down to reflect the profile of the existing topography”, and highlighted parking issues with the proposal.

“The proposal fails to provide the required car parking spaces and will give rise to unacceptable additional on-street car parking, which would not be in the interests of the amenity of the area.”

The case officer said the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) had objected to the application, noting the hotel was situated on top of a historic Grade 2 scheduled underground flour mill.

“The impact of the proposed development on such scheduling is of concern,” the case officer report read.

In a response to the original application some three years ago, the SCH had requested photomontages “to assess and evaluate any possible impact on the surrounding area”, while the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) had requested the management to file an application for the expansion.

The hotel was situated on top of a historic Grade 2 scheduled underground flour mill- Superintendence of Cultural Heritage

An application to add 72 rooms across three additional floors, a rooftop garden and swimming pool to the Pergola Hotel was met with dismay by residents when it was first proposed in August 2022.

Scores of objectors voiced concerns that hotel staff and guests would be able to look into their property and were worried the additional floors would block their access to light. They also expressed apprehension at the noise and inconvenience during the construction phase.

The planned expansion of the hotel appeared to run out of steam some six months later. The application was updated with tweaked plans for the site last week, with the case officer report uploaded days later.

The application would see three floors added to the section of the hotel at the top of the stairs. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Council files objection

Mellieħa mayor Gabriel Micallef said the council remained “firmly opposed” to the hotel extension and had discussed the matter during a council sitting last week following concerns from residents.

Pointing to various issues that “conflict with established planning policies”, Micallef said the development “constitutes over-intensification in a sensitive area”. Echoing the case officer’s concerns, the locality’s mayor said the planned expansion “conflicts with established planning policies”, traffic policies and noise pollution controls.

“The lack of sufficient parking, increased traffic pressure on narrow roads, visual intrusion and ongoing noise disturbances are all valid and pressing concerns for the community,” said Micallef.

The council formally filed an objection to the plans this week. 

Questions sent to the applicant, G3 Hospitality Ltd, remain unanswered at the time of writing. The architect is Brian Ebejer.