One of the oldest religious niches in Gozo is set to become engulfed by a modern development, if a planning application is given the go-ahead.

The Xagħra shrine is said to have been built over 300 years ago by a grateful farmer whose entire family-of-six was captured by pirates but released after a ransom was paid.

Conservationists fear it will become the latest victim of ‘facadism’, after a developer proposed (PA 3170/21) the alteration of the building to include two additional floors and a swimming pool, as well as the restoration of the frontage.

“The new building with two additional floors is going to dwarf this gorgeous niche,” photographer and heritage activist Daniel Cilia said.

“The niche was built to be enjoyed as it is, free-standing and unencumbered by development in front of it. Raising the height of the building would completely destroy the context in which it is meant to be viewed.”

The area is characterised by low-lying vernacular-style buildings.

Concerns were compounded by the fact that in drawings originally filed to the Planning authority by architect Alexander Bigeni, on behalf of Tarcisio Cremona, the niche was incorrectly scaled to its surroundings, making the development appear much larger than the adjacent building.

The architect’s drawing.

Bigeni blamed a “surveying error” and said that the discrepancy was addressed “the instant it was brought to my attention.

The niche is thought to be almost 300 years old. Photo: Daniel Cilia

“The proposed structures will be as high as the adjacent building on the left hand side and this was the idea in the first place.”

He added that the application includes the restoration of the niche and that the extensions in the development are being proposed “to render the building habitable”.

According to historian Fr Joseph Bezzina, the niche on Triq Marsalforn is known as Tal-Madonna ta’ l-Anġli or Ta’ l-Indju and is one of the oldest recorded in Gozo.

According to Bezzina’s book about the locality, commissioned by the Xagħra local council, a farmer named Ġanni Mercieca, as well as his wife and six children, were ambushed by pirates and taken captive to the North African coast.

The family vowed to the Blessed Virgin that they would build a shrine in her name should they return to Gozo alive, and after a ransom was paid for their safe return, the Mercieca family returned to Xagħra to fulfil their promise, Bezzina writes. Since the incident is dated back to 1733, the shrine is probably 288 years old.

The application has yet to receive formal recommendation from the Planning Authority.

It is just the latest development in the Gozo village to raise concerns. In March, Times of Malta revealed plans to demolish a dwelling 200 metres form the megalithic Ġgantija Temples and replace it with a block of apartments.