Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545002
DEVELOPERS behind a pro- posed residential block in Qrendi are seeking permission to demol- ish a vernacular farmhouse which they describe as structurally be- yond repair, while promising to salvage parts of the building and recreate elements of its appear- ance within the new develop- ment. The proposal concerns a site at the corner of Triq Gutenberg and Triq il-Kurat Mizzi, near Qren- di Primary School. The zoning application, presented by devel- oper Michael Bugeja on behalf of Tan-Nadur Limited, proposes "planning parameters identical to the surrounding land use and height limitation as established in the Qrendi Local Plan". The site was added to development zones in the controversial extension of building zones carried out in 2006. Its inclusion within the zones was conditional on an archaeological investigation of the site. According to the Superintend- ence for Cultural Heritage, the vernacular structure already ap- peared on the 1911 Survey Sheets. The farmhouse incorporates a niche housing a high-relief stat- ue of the Madonna, framed by a cartouche and surmounted by a Cathedral cross with three circles on its arms resting on an orb. The niche, identified as Inventory No. 1802, was described by the SCH as being of "evident cultural her- itage value". The latest plans foresee the demolition of the existing farm- house and its replacement with a modern apartment block incor- porating a reconstructed stone- clad corner façade intended to mimic the silhouette of the orig- inal building. According to the project description submitted by architect Perit Anthony Robin- son, original stone blocks recov- ered from the demolished struc- ture would be reused to recreate part of the vernacular appearance. The scheme also includes the preservation of the Madonna niche currently located within the farmhouse's private garden. Un- der the proposal, the niche would be dismantled and inserted into the external façade of the new building as a permanent public feature. In his report, Robinson argues that the farmhouse has reached an "advanced state of structural dilapidation", making restoration "impossible". The architect states that the external masonry walls have developed a "considerable outward tilt" and are in "immi- nent danger of collapse". According to the report, the structure has only remained standing over the past three years because of heavy concrete retain- ing blocks installed as emergency support. Photographs included in the application allegedly show substantial masonry failure dating back to July 2021, before the tem- porary propping interventions were introduced. The architect also argues that demolition is partly being driven by infrastructure requirements linked to a Planning Authority road scheme intended to com- plete a ring road extension in the locality. Robinson states that Transport Malta identified the "best possible solution" for traffic circulation and road safety as the straight alignment of Triq Guten- berg with its existing southern trajectory. Because the farmhouse projects into the proposed road alignment, the Planning Authority's block plan would require its removal to accommodate a wider roadway and a three-metre front garden. Robinson describes the proposal, combining road alignment works with the salvage of the farmhouse façade and religious niche, as the "most sensible scheme" for the site. But comments submitted earlier by the SCH reveal strong reser- vations about the proposed ap- proach. In comments filed in March, the SCH noted that Transport Malta had not explicitly requested the demolition of the farmhouse. The heritage watchdog quoted Trans- port Malta's own position, which stated that while the proposed alignment was recommended from a transport perspective, there "may be other overriding considerations emanating from other entities or for planning rea- sons". Consequently, the SCH insisted that "from a heritage perspective, the vernacular structure should be retained in situ, restored, and integrated into any future devel- opment". The Superintendence also re- ferred favourably to an earlier proposal by the developers, which envisaged preserving the building within the development rather than dismantling it and retaining only fragments of its appearance. At the same time, the SCH ac- knowledged that if the Planning Authority ultimately determines that road alignment or other planning considerations necessi- tate dismantling the structure, the entire building should be recon- structed elsewhere on the site. The watchdog strongly recom- mended that the farmhouse be "entirely dismantled and fully reconstructed as is" further back within the development footprint, rather than reduced to isolated features incorporated into a con- temporary block. The SCH also warned that any future full development applica- tion should be accompanied by a comprehensive cultural heritage assessment evaluating impacts on the surrounding area, including archaeology, height, and massing. Għaqda Residenti tal-Qrendi is objecting to the development, claiming that the proposed build- ings will overshadow the school courtyard, dominate the entry- way into the village, and stand out sharply against the surrounding two-storey Urban Conservation Area, disrupting the historic sky- line. 12 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 20 MAY 2026 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Developers seek demolition of old Qrendi farmhouse for apartment block A rendering of the proposed project The farmhouse today