The heritage watchdog has expressed concern about the height of a proposed five-floor care home, located only six metres from the Wignacourt Aqueducts in a streetscape of two-storey buildings of similar style and proportions.

The planning application to demolish Wignacourt Hotel, formerly Albatross Hotel, excavate four levels of basement garages and construct five overlying floors and a receded one at roof level on Notabile Road has also drawn objections from neighbouring residents.

Located in Birkirkara’s development zone, the site lies within the setting of the Grade 1 scheduled building, a designation intended to protect the nearby aqueducts, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) has pointed out, adding that the well-preserved streetscapes of both Notabile and B. Bontadini Roads have houses of the same height and proportion.

The recent structure does not have cultural heritage value, requiring its preservation, so the SCH has “no objection in principle” to its demolition.

The Wignacourt Aqueduct was built by the Knights of Saint John to carry water from springs in Dingli and Rabat to Valletta. It was inaugurated in 1615 and remained in use until the 20th century

However, it noted “with concern” the height of the proposed development and “the importance of context in the perception of scheduled buildings” as recognised in PA Circular 3/20, which gives guidance on assessing development applications within the setting of monuments.

The Wignacourt Aqueduct was built by the Knights of Saint John to carry water from springs in Dingli and Rabat to Valletta. It was inaugurated in 1615 and remained in use until the 20th century.

The superintendence has requested photomontages from various viewpoints, especially from across the road, in the absence of which “the application cannot be favourably considered”.

An application for a care home envisages it to be a five-floor building, in contrast to the two-storey buildings around it.

Seeking outline development permission, PA/04145/22, submitted by applicant Charlot Sultana and including parking for 59 vehicles, is awaiting recommendation.

But a Facebook post by Stephanie Micallef has been rallying objectors “if you do not want to see this part of the aqueducts ruined forever”.

She urged people to object before the July 28 deadline.

“Help us keep the symmetry at least for this stretch of road and not have another eyesore.

“We already have enough of them,” the resident said.

Among the submitted re-presentations, neighbours “strongly” objected to the “massive” development on grounds that it was not in line with planning policies for villa areas, where residents had invested heavily in their homes, located in one of the few addresses “without high-rise buildings”.

Building a residential home for the elderly, technically, gives an applicant permission for an extra two storeys, flying in the face of the height limitation, they pointed out.

Apart from dwarfing the aqueduct, they also fear the project’s excavations so close to the foundations of the national monument could damage it

The height relaxation policy for retirement homes is being taken advantage of to make the project financially viable, they said, considering it “unacceptable”.

Apart from privacy issues, due to being overlooked, the objectors fear parking problems will be aggravated while the proposed building would cast shadows on neighbouring gardens and the construction debris would damage trees.

Apart from dwarfing the aqueduct, they also fear the project’s excavations so close to the foundations of the national monument could damage it.

The objectors also observed that the PA site notice affixed on the building had immediately disappeared from the premises and warned that approval would set a precedent for similar development in the area.