Sliema and St Julian's residents, mayors and NGOs are calling on the heritage watchdog to protect Villa St Ignatius, a house built before 1839 that is probably the earliest example of Gothic Revival architecture in Malta.

Villa St Ignatius, situated at the top of Scicluna Street, a few metres away from Balluta church, was originally built as a high-class residence. 

Over the years it hosted an English Protestant college, also hosted a Jesuit college, a meteorological centre, a military hospital during WWI and a Russian refugee centre.

Developer Paul Gauci has applied to transform the rundown edifice into a hotel.

On Saturday, residents met outside the building for a protest organised by Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar and the Balluta Mansions Action Group.

FAA coordinator Astrid Vella told the media that in 2017, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage had submitted Villa Ignatius for scheduling at Din l-Art Ħelwa’s request.

"However, even though its more recent chapel and flanking private houses have been scheduled, the Planning Authority refused to schedule the older wing, which is probably the earliest example of Gothic Revival architecture in Malta.

"Worse still, once the superintendence was taken over by PA staff, the SCH reversed its position and is now approving the damaging project, betraying its responsibility to protect Maltese heritage," she said.

Vella asked whether the reluctance to protect buildings like Villa St Ignatius and the Officer’s Mess at Tigne (former Holiday Inn) was triggered by speculators wanting to redevelop them. Such buildings, she said, should first be scheduled and then developed while respecting their heritage value.

St Julian’s mayor Guido Dalli said a 64-bedroom hotel over seven floors was "incompatible" with the residential status of the area.

His Sliema counterpart, John Pillow, said the operation of the proposed hotel restaurants would negatively affect the quality of life of the residents in the area.

Residents meanwhile said that the overloaded sewage system of the area was already overflowing at Balluta and a large hotel would make the situation worse.