Updated 6.13pm with PN statement

A Grade 1 protected building in the Romeo Romano Gardens in Santa Venera will not be turned into a restaurant, Environment Minister Miriam Dalli said on Wednesday.

The decision reverses one taken by her predecessor Aaron Farrugia and comes after hundreds of people filed official objections with the Planning Authority against the restaurant plans. 

In a comment to Newsbook, Dalli said the dilapidated building that was due to become a restaurant will be restored but not commercialised.

“The original plan made sense because it would cater for people visiting the garden, but it’s in a commercially active locality, so I gave the direction for the building to not change into a restaurant, but into something more suitable for the garden,” the minister said.

Writing on Facebook, she said that she had taken on board community feedback in taking that decision.   

Environmental NGO Moviment Graffitti, which was one of the first to raise concerns about opening a restaurant in the protected building, said the decision meant the hundreds who had spoken out against the plans had been heard.

Darren Carabott a PN MP from the 1st electoral district, has also objected to the development on similar grounds and also raised concerns about parking issues.

Carabott welcomed the decision and said it showed how the PN, working with civil society, could bring about positive change. 

He said the PN hoped the government would also revise its position in favour of greener decisions in other such cases across Malta and Gozo.  

The multi-million upgrade of the Romeo Romano Gardens was announced last year, with regeneration plans including the restoration of historical features and a kitchen garden, similar to the popular one behind San Anton Gardens in Attard. 

The restaurant plans were fronted by WastServ, the public entity responsible for waste disposal. Its plan was to restore the building known as ir-Razzet and introduce an indoor and terrace dining area in the centuries-old building.

WasteServ falls under the remit of the environment ministry.