Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1543288
10 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 15 FEBRUARY 2026 NEWS Heritage hotel at Villa Buleben needed to fund restoration, planners say A proposal seeks to convert the Villa Buleben estate in Żebbuġ into a four-star heritage hotel with 32 rooms • Project combines restored palazzo with a modern three-storey extension, 13 garden rooms and a swimming pool A major redevelopment of Villa Buleben in Żebbuġ with sub- stantial new construction is necessary to make the historic estate's renovation financially viable, the planning directorate said. As a consequence, the Plan- ning Authority's Development Management Directorate is recommending approval of the planning permit. Known locally as Tal-Baruni, the vacant 18th-century palazzo is one of Żebbuġ's most storied landmarks. Long shrouded in mystery behind closed gates, its extensive gardens, intricate irri- gation systems and chapel have remained largely inaccessible to the public for decades. The palazzo enjoys Grade 2 protection, while the Chapel of Our Lady of Forsaken Souls, op- posite the road carries the high- est level of protection, Grade 1. Both are listed in the National Inventory of Cultural Property and sit within Żebbuġ's Urban Conservation Area, overlooking a valley designated as a green area in the South Malta Local Plan. The proposal seeks to convert the estate into a four-star herit- age hotel with 32 rooms, com- bining the restored palazzo with a modern three-storey exten- sion, 13 garden rooms spread across seven detached volumes, and a swimming pool. A preliminary outline permit setting the basic development parameters was issued last year. However, key details such as the design and external appearance of the proposed buildings were left to be decided later, once the full development application was submitted. The site spans around 9,016sq.m. Under the scheme, the palazzo would accommo- date reception areas, lounges, dining spaces and wellness fa- cilities, with five suites on its upper floors. The contemporary annex would add 14 guestrooms over three levels, while the gar- den would host 13 additional rooms in low-rise "hut-like" structures of varying heights. New plans propose smaller hotel The Planning Authority says the project has been signifi- cantly reduced from an earlier 51-room proposal and follows parameters already approved in the outline permit last year. In its report, the Development Management Directorate ar- gues that the scale of new devel- opment is justified by the need to secure the long-term conser- vation of the site. "The scale of the proposal has been deemed acceptable in re- lation to the context and nec- essary to sustain the feasibility of the project," planners state, describing the contemporary additions as a "sensitive exten- sion" that would give the dere- lict complex a viable new use. According to the authority, the project involves the com- prehensive restoration of the palazzo, gardens, boundary wall and chapel, with minor altera- tions to improve functionality. The scattered garden units are intended to "fade into the sur- rounding vegetation," while the modern annex is presented as deliberately distinct from the historic fabric, creating a clear architectural hierarchy between old and new. Although hotels are not nor- mally considered appropriate in residential areas under local plan policies, the planning au- thority relied on regeneration provisions that allow depar- tures where a development con- tributes to the conservation of scheduled buildings. The authority also cited grow- ing demand for heritage tour- ism, describing the project as offering a "unique accommoda- tion option" for local and inter- national visitors. Objections However, the original applica- tion drew opposition. The Żeb- buġ local council objected to the scheme, while NGO Il-Kolletiv had petitioned for Villa Bule- ben's gardens and surrounding buildings to remain open to the public. Objectors also raised concerns about traffic impacts, visual scale and potential harm to the setting of the chapel and palazzo. Despite this, heritage and en- vironmental regulators raised no objection in principle, sub- ject to strict restoration condi- tions, landscaping requirements and the use of local limestone. Because on-site parking cannot be provided, the developer will be required to pay €74,000 into the Urban Improvements Fund. When issuing an outline per- mit in 2025 the Planning Au- thority said the villa was "set to be restored and rejuvenated from a vacant residence into a distinguished high-end heritage hotel", adding that revised plans strike a better balance between heritage protection and modern hospitality needs. While outline permission has been endorsed, the applicant must still secure a full develop- ment permit assessing detailed design elements. A final decision by the Plan- ning Authority board is due on 26 February 2026. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Photomontages of the proposed development