The Planning Authority has given its blessing to an application to convert a historic 19th century palazzo in a quaint Naxxar street into a guesthouse and its garden into a pool area.
It also approved the construction of a residential complex in vacant plots surrounding the site.
Application PA3690/19 sought permission to convert the dilapidated dwelling into a guest house. The Planning Directorate recommended the application’s refusal because it ran counter to a design guideline. However, at discussion stage, the applicant submitted fresh drawings to address this issue and all other issues raised by the directorate.
The PA issued a permit to convert three vacant plots of land into a residential block of 16 basement garages and six commercial car parking spaces, three groundfloor maisonettes and nine apartments over three floors plus two overlying penthouses at the fourth receded floor.
The garden will be reinstated and will include a pool and a deck area
The project in Triq Santa Luċija and Triq Ħal Dgħejf also got the green light from the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and the PA’s Design Advisory Committee.
The applicant, Matthew Gauci, was given permission to remove additions made to the original Casa Chetcuti over the years and replace them with additional rooms for guests plus ancillary facilities.
The garden will be excavated until the basement garages are constructed but the garden will be reinstated and will include a pool and a deck area.
Objections to the plans came from, among others, the Naxxar local council, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Din l-Art Ħelwa and residents living nearby.
They argued that the proposed development will increase traffic congestion as well as noise and light pollution and that such a development is not acceptable in an Urban Conservation Area.
Objectors said they could not understand the position of the Superintendence which on one hand described the garden as “historic” but at the same time did not object to the development and construction of garages underneath the garden which would eliminate most of the soil and transform it into a deck area.
However, the Planning Commission, chaired by Elizabeth Ellul, with Anthony Borg and Claude Mallia as members, granted permission subject to a number of conditions, including preservation and restoration of the palazzo’s façade as well the conservation of an old chimney and other old features.