The “integration” of a house of historical value into the development of a four-floor block of flats in Xewkija has been described as an “excellent example of what should not be happening in Gozo” as the property stands to be engulfed.

Yet again, the blanket applicability of the contentious Annex 2, which allows for taller buildings, was resulting in a “horrendous overdevelopment”, with no sensitivity towards the existing vernacular architecture, Din l-Art Ħelwa council member and restoration architect, Joanna Spiteri Staines, said.

The proposal showed “complete lack of respect for the vernacular, no attempt to study the history of the building and total insensitivity in the architectural approach of additions”, she criticised.

The application, PA 8409/20, at Triq l-Imġarr and Triq il-Bennejja, is seeking approval for internal and external alterations of the existing dwelling, consisting of limited demolition of its rooms on the ground and first floors.

But it also proposes excavation and construction of basement and groundfloor garages, a domestic store and 32 apartments on four floors around it.

Its plan is to “integrate” the existing façade on Triq il-Bennejja into the new project. But proposed streetscape elevations show a house dwarfed in a block of flats and question its incorporation into the development.

The application seems to have gone under the radar and heritage NGO Din l-Art Helwa is not a registered objector.

But Spiteri Staines has observed that the photo survey of the property seems incomplete, omitting architectural vernacular features such as kileb (corbels) and xorok tal-qasba (stone slabs) and has called for a proper site visit.

House is of evident vernacular and historical value

The application’s existing plans, sections and elevations, Spiteri Staines said, should not have been accepted since they failed to show the roofing features, types of trees and other details that should have formed part of the vetting process.

“Why was this accepted in the first place, without the basic information that is required for planning applications?”

Spiteri Staines maintained that the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, which has made a case to keep the house in its entirety, would also need to carry out a physical site visit to assess the age of the structures and their importance.

The proposed streetscape elevations show the existing house that will be built on (in yellow), neighbouring low-lying existing buildings (in black) and the new block of flats (in red). The part of the house in Triq l-Imġarr that will be demolished, together with the still intact ventilated room, are shown as transparent in the graphic.

While not in the UCA – the site of the proposed development is within the Xewkija development zone – the house lies only around 45 metres away, so context is important, she stressed.

A previous application, PA 1670/20, was refused and is now subject to an ongoing appeal, Spiteri Staines outlined, adding: “God forbid it goes through!”

The part of the house facing Triq il-Bennejja is of “evident vernacular and historical value”, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage said in its recommendations on the previously refused application, which remained valid for the current proposal.

Suggesting only minimal interventions, it had recommended that the proposal be revised to avoid “engulfing” the vernacular building with the resultant loss of legibility of the historic structure.

The architect was to address this by implementing a stepped design with the height gradually increasing further from the vernacular building, however, the SCH noted that proposed alterations from earlier drawings were minimal and, therefore, reiterated its initial comments.

Photographer and environmental activist Daniel Cilia, fishing out an image of the “beautiful house” he had taken for a publication, asked: “If this is not an integral part of Gozitan architectural heritage, what is?

“Every time one of these vernacular houses is demolished, part of Gozo’s soul is ravaged.”

He pointed out that while the Triq il-Bennejja side of the property was going to be ‘incorporated’ in the new building, the part in Triq l-Imġarr, destined to be demolished and replaced by “another monstrosity”, included the still intact ventilated room that was usually used for Gozo cheese production (il-kamra tal-ġbejniet).

The elevation of the development, Cilia noted, would be partly visible when approaching from Mġarr Harbour towards Victoria.