Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1180732
JAMES DEBONO DEVELOPERS are propos- ing a new road passing right through the gardens of an 18 th century villa in Zejtun and its removal from the local- ity's urban conservation area through two separate applica- tions, which have been met by more than 150 objections including that of the locality's local council which is calling for the villa to be given maxi- mum protection as a Grade 1 monument. While the changes to the road alignment is being pro- posed in a zoning application, the unprecedented request to remove the villa grounds from the urban conservation area is being done through a normal planning application requesting a "change of use." The legality of the application is being questioned by Din l- Art Helwa since such changes to the local plan can only be contemplated in zoning ap- plications. Anthony Cardona who claims ownership of the 4892-sq.m site is proposing the development. The villa's gardens are presently desig- nated as a green enclave. No residential development is al- lowed in green enclaves. The application proposes the removal of the site from the UCA area as well as the designation of the area as a green enclave designated the entire site as a 'residential area'. The application foresees " residential units instead of the dilapidated rooms and landscaping will form part of residential units". The devel- opers have also presented a zoning application to change the road alignment to cater for the residential units. The Zejtun Council along with Wirt iz-Zejtun and Din l-Art Helwa is strongly ob- jecting to the development and has called for the sched- uling of the villa and its gar- dens as a Grade 1 monument. "We strongly object to the project and call on the Plan- ning Authority to preserve the Urban Conservation Area of the locality," locality mayor Maria Dolores Abela said in an objection presented to the PA. The villa in question was built in the neo classical style and bears the coat of arms of the Testaferrata Bonici fam- ily. Its distinctive features include an arch roofed living quarters and two gateways. The Bonici branch of the fam- ily is intimately tied with the history of Zejtun, having do- nated the land on which Saint Catherine's Church is build. The villa and its grounds were included in a heritage trail organised by the council and Wirt iz-Zejtun known as Plakka Storja. Din l-Art Helwa warned that the objective of these applica- tion is to eventually attain permission for the demoli- tion of the historical villa and gardens to develop blocks of apartments. Din l-Art Helwa noted that the planning appli- cation seeking a change in the UCA designa- tion is illegal as this requires a zoning application. 5 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 30 OCTOBER 2019 NEWS Zejtun council calls for protection of villa targeted by developers