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4 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 20 DECEMBER 2024 NEWS IN 2005, a parliamentary resolu- tion paved the way for Gozitan developer Michael Caruana, known as 'Il-Billi' to take over an 87-year concession to develop Fort Chambray into apartments and a hotel. Caruana did build a few resi- dences and sold them quickly, but the hotel that was supposed to be built within four years from the permit issue actually never materialised. At the same time, some apart- ments were abandoned and left in shell form for years with no development prospects as the business venture ran out of funds. In June this year, a bipartisan parliamentary committee unan- imously agreed to amend the Fort Chambray concession to al- low extensive parts of the site to be transferred to new investors. MPs from both sides of the house approved changes to the original 2005 concession that ef- fectively means that the original concessionaire - Gozitan busi- nessman Michael Caruana - can sell the concession to a group of unnamed investors who are re- portedly in negotiations over the site. The parts of the concession that can be transferred include an almost 37,000sqm stretch of land to be used for a hotel and residences and a further 21,000sqm tract of land that includes several structures of heritage value, including a pol- verista (gunpowder magazine), a knights' bakery and knights barracks. New investment group Earlier this year, The Shift revealed private negotiations conducted by Michael Caruana to sell the failed concession, re- vealing those involved in negoti- ations with him. They include Francesco Grima, known as 'il-Gigu', Vince Borg (road construction contrac- tors V&C and Bitmac), known as Ċensu n-Nizz, Ninu Fenech and his sons from TUM Invest, Oliver Brownrigg of BT Group and Mario Gauci of Burmarrad Commercials. PA approves demolition of British barracks at Fort Chambray On 12 December, the Planning Authority approved plans to de- molish and reassemble parts of the British-era barracks at Fort Chambray which dates back to the 19th century. The proposal which had al- ready been endorsed by the planning directorate was ap- proved by five votes against two. The representative of the Gha- jnsielem local council voted in favour despite previously ex- pressing the council's reserva- tions on handing the fort to pri- vate interests. The demolition will make way for 105 residential units over a floor area of 14,514sq.m and a 5-star hotel with 64 ensuite rooms and 50 serviced apart- ments rising to up to five floors. The British Barracks is the most iconic building inside the Fort that is first seen when ap- proaching Mgarr Harbour from the sea. The plans also foresee the re- location of the British barracks' screen and flanks to an area closer to the Knights' barracks and the construction of three additional floors over a new building which will include the re-assembled barrack's façade but most of the structure will be lost. In his observations, Planning board chairman Emmanuel Camilleri pointed at the outline permit issued in 2012 allowing the demolition of the barracks and that the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage has not objected. But board member Romano Cassar, who voted against, de- scribed the demolition of the barracks as a "travesty and an act of madness". Gozo Regional Development Authority representative Mario Borg also voted against the dem- olition of the barracks insisting that it should have been inte- grated in the project. The project is being proposed by Gozitan developer Michael Caruana on behalf of Fort Chambray Ltd, who was recent- ly authorised by parliament to sell the site to other developers. Decision in breach of 1992 brief The Fort Chambray Develop- ment Brief approved January 1992 clearly stated that the Brit- ish Barracks is to be retained, restored and conserved and that views of the barracks from the sea must be retained. But an outline permit issued in 2012 had already approved the dismantling and partial reloca- tion of the British barracks to an area closer to the Knights bar- racks. Back then the PA's Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee had objected to the relocation of the British barracks, deeming this to be in breach of conserva- tion principle and the approved development brief for the area. But the final plans were sur- prisingly endorsed by the Su- perintendence for Cultural Heritage, which welcomed the new layout of the development which was shifted towards the centre of Fort Chambray, and away from the perimeter of the fortifications. Chorus of speakers oppose development All speakers except those con- nected to the developer as law- yers and architects spoke against the proposal. During the meeting Din l-Art Helwa President Patrick Calle- ja strongly opposed the dem- olition of the British barracks warning that the project will be burying one of the most iconic views which is an intrinsic part of Gozo's identity. "The fort was built to defend the island from invaders and not from locals as is happening today," Calleja said. Calleja also reiterated the re- quest to schedule barracks as a listed building and announced that NGOs have appealed the PA's decision not to schedule it. The developer's lawyer replied insisting that the decision not to schedule the British barracks pending the outcome of devel- opment applications on the site was taken in 2005 while the de- cision to demolish the barracks and partly locate them was tak- en back in 2012. Ruth Mercieca from Movi- ment Graffitti insisted that the development brief issued in 2002 should prevail over any permits issued so far. Moreover, she pointed out that the outline permit approved in 2012 has ex- pired. "How is possible that we are considering the demolition of a heritage building to accommo- date a gated community? This is simply inconceivable." "How can you be responsible for destroying Gozo's history? Which country does something like this?" asked photographer and heritage activist Daniel Cilia who claimed that the barracks included one of the first married quarters to be incorporated in a historical fort in the history of the British empire. Archaeologist Rueben Grima warned approval would be in breach of the Cultural Heritage Act which specifically protects all heritage buildings irrespec- tive of whether these are listed, and called on board members should not be an accomplice of "perverse" decisions taken in the part. Astrid Vella from FAA point- ed out the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage is still in time to intervene by issuing a con- servation order to protect the building while describing the The Fort Chambay saga Michael Caruana, known as 'il-Billi', failed to meet the targets imposed in the concession

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