Updated Tuesday 9.56pm with owner's reaction -

Sliema's traditional character will receive another construction blow if plans to demolish five houses on Sliema's Depiro Street are approved, a heritage NGO said on Tuesday. 

Din l-Art Ħelwa said that the proposal sought to demolish the early 20th century houses with six-storey apartment blocks.

The houses, which stretch across 70 metres of the Sliema street, all feature traditional Maltese architectural features such as wooden doors and balconies, wrought iron fanlights and coloured glass windows. 

They are all architecturally consistent, with similar staircases punctuating ground floor plinths. 

Din l-Art Ħelwa is among those objecting to the plans, arguing that the application disregards Urban Conservation Area (UCA) policies and disrespects traditional architecture. 

UCAs are areas of special architectural or historic interest. 

“There will soon be nothing to show of our vernacular townhouses should this application be approved,” Din l-Art Ħelwa said, adding that “once these are lost, they will be lost forever”.

The proposed replacement within the Sliema UCA.

On what basis is the NGO objecting?

Din l-Art Ħelwa believes that the application goes against several policies laid out within the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development and in DC15, which are intended to protect vernacular properties that characterise the historic fabric of towns and villages and were still in good state of repair.

The NGO is arguing that such policies are intended to prevent aesthetic and architectural heritage, particularly within UCAs, from being wiped out, and should apply without exception. 

The Depiro street application directly contradicted the reason why UCAs had been defined and it was inconceivable that it would be approved. 

“We are particularly concerned at the marked boldness with which such applications, directly and unashamedly contradicting the objectives of such policies, were being increasingly submitted to the Planning Authority for approval,” Din l-Art Ħelwa said as it stressed that if one such proposal slipped through, it would very shortly lead to the total oblivion of those characteristics that the country needed to preserve so badly.  

An owner's view

David Falzon, a part-owner of the properties in a comment to Times of Malta (see below) late on Tuesday said these houses are surrounded by apartments.   

"These houses are owned by 50+ heirs and each by law is entitled to his/her share. Now if Heritage Malta or any of you can come up with a solution on how everybody can get his rightful share, please come forward," he wrote, addressing himself to previous commenters.

He said it took the law courts 20 years and a charge of €200,000 to come up with a solution. Basically, the owners were told to sell by subbasta (auction). But, he said, who in his right mind would want to buy these houses when most had tenants who paid only €180 per year in rent. The only buyer was a  contractor to build apartments and make a profit. 

The owners could not sell the houses individually with tenants in them, he said. Even the tenants themselves refused to buy them since they are protected by the pre-1995 rent law.

Each of them will take the ownership of a brand new apartment.

Mr Falzon said all those objecting to the plans could, if they wished, buy the properties so that finally, after more than 30 years, each heir could get his share,