The Żebbuġ local council is objecting to the conversion of the 18th-century Villa Buleben palazzo into a 50-bed hotel.

The objection follows strong opposition from the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, which believes that the building and its gardens be given the highest level of protection.

Villa Buleben, better known locally as 'Tal-Baruni', is a two-storey grand palazzo, with large gardens of different sizes, water channelling for irrigation and several structures which possibly served as the servants’ quarters. The Chapel of Our Lady of Forsaken Souls is part of the property, located within the Urban Conservation Area of Żebbuġ.

The application, by Daniel Bonnici, proposes the restoration, with alterations, of the palazzo, garden, boundary walls and nearby chapel, the conversion of the vacant residence into a hotel and construction of two wings as well as underground parking.

The Żebbuġ local council said on Friday that it had unanimously voted against the development, and urged residents to submit their objections here.

According to the council, the road's infrastructure is not equipped to handle the traffic generated from the operation of a hotel.

"Triq il-Madonna is accessed from the Żebbuġ Urban Conservation Area only, and therefore any increase in traffic would negatively impact the characteristics and amenity of a residential UCA," it said in its objection.

Additionally, no provisions have been made for loading and unloading spaces within the proposal, something that would "add additional strain on Triq il-Madonna and also lead to loss of on-street parking spaces in an area which is naturally deprived of this resource".

The council is also objecting to the demolition of a very old olive grove, while the proposal would encroach onto an existing valley bed that is being "inappropriately described as a disused quarry".

File photo: Times of Malta