Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1541835
7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 7 DECEMBER 2025 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Call for Applications For more info visit micas.art/get-involved or contact people@micas.art micas.art Closing at noon on Monday 22 nd December 2025 Senior Officer (Marketing & Publications) Jobsplus Permit Number: 1152/2025 Five-storey block metres away from Zejtun hero's house approved by PA THE Planning Authority has approved a residential five-sto- rey block on arable land on the outskirts of Żejtun, in proxim- ity to Casa Verdi, the historic dwelling associated with Kle- ment Tabone. Tabone was a landowner and militia leader who repelled an Ottoman raid. Although the building is be- ing terraced in a way intended to minimise its impact when viewed from the street fronted by Casa Verdi, the project will still result in the demolition of existing rubble walls consid- ered to form the boundary of the Grade 1 scheduled build- ing. Casa Verdi, located in Triq San Klement, was granted Grade 1 protection in 1995 due to its architectural value and its cultural links to Tabone, who also financed the construction of the nearby St Clement's Church. The church still con- tains an altarpiece dedicated to him. The newly approved devel- opment, proposed by Silvan Mizzi—business partner of Gozo developer Joseph Portel- li—foresees basement garages, four floors of apartments and a recessed level rising from the field behind Casa Verdi, at the corner of Triq tal-Fana and Triq E. Attard Bezzina. The project entails the dem- olition of existing rubble walls and the uprooting of 15 citrus trees. It became possible only after a separate zoning appli- cation introduced a pedestri- an route through the field—a move strongly opposed by her- itage NGO Wirt iż-Żejtun—al- lowing the plot to be consid- ered developable. More than 300 people had ob- jected to the development fol- lowing appeals to protect the setting of Casa Verdi by Wirt iż-Żejtun. Despite these concerns, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) had issued its clearance a few weeks before the Planning Authority's ap- proval. In its detailed assess- ment, the SCH stressed the site's highly sensitive context: It lies within an archaeological- ly sensitive zone, extends into the Żejtun Urban Conservation Area, sits just 11.5 metres from Casa Verdi, and is only 1.6 me- tres from another scheduled Grade 2 dwelling in Sqaq Sci- ortino. The SCH also acknowledged that rubble walls forming part of Casa Verdi's historic bound- ary will be lost, but noted that a heritage mitigation agreement has been settled to "compen- sate" for the removal of this fabric. It also took note of the approved alignment changes under a zoning application ap- proved last year and the intro- duction of terracing that slopes away from the Grade 1 monu- ment and the UCA, reducing visual impact. After reviewing photomon- tages and revised plans, the SCH confirmed it "does not ob- ject" to the development, sub- ject to standard archaeological monitoring conditions. These include the appoint- ment of an SCH-approved ar- chaeologist for all soil removal and excavation works, prior notification before works be- gin, and the obligation to safe- guard any archaeological or cultural remains discovered on site. The SCH also warned that any such finds may require amendments to the approved plans. Photo montage of the proposed development (marked in red) and the historic house associated with Zejtun hero Klement Tabone (marked in blue)