Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546703
GozoToday is a weekly newspaper focused primarily on Gozo. It hopes to serve as a source of information on business, culture, entertainment and of course current affairs. Gozo has a special charm about it but it is also a bustling Island with an identity of its own. GozoToday is published every Friday and is available to numerous outlets in Gozo and on the ferries that carry so many visitors to Gozo from Malta and beyond. GozoToday MediaToday Co. Ltd, Vjal ir-Rihan San Gwann SGN 9016 DEPUTY EDITOR: LAURA CALLEJA Tel: (356) 21 382741-3, 21 382745-6 Website: www.maltatoday.com.mt E-mail: lcalleja@mediatoday.com.mt 3 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 NEWS Din l-Art Helwa calls for Grade 1 scheduling of Fort Chambray's British Barracks Din l-Art Ħelwa National Trust for Malta has welcomed the finalisation of the expert mission report by Europa Nostra concerning the British Barracks at Fort Chambray, Gozo DIN l-Art Ħelwa National Trust for Malta has welcomed the finali- sation of the expert mission report by Europa Nostra concerning the British Barracks at Fort Cham- bray, Gozo. The report, prepared by Graham Bell and Christopher Hurst, fol- lowing their visit to Malta in May 2026, provides a comprehensive assessment of the building's out- standing architectural, cultural and European historical signifi- cance. Din l-Art Ħelwa said it is gravely concerned that the British Bar- racks Married Quarters currently have no heritage protection and face an approved development proposal that would involve their demolition. The current scheme would see the historic two-storey arcaded façade dismantled and reconstructed as a decorative el- ement of a new five-storey spa hotel, destroying the building's integrity and authenticity. "The report concludes unequiv- ocally that the British Barracks merit Grade 1 scheduling. This level of protection is the high- est available for cultural heritage in Malta and is already afforded to comparable military married quarters from the same era, in- cluding the Soldiers' Married Quarters at St Andrew's Barracks in Malta. Din l-Art Ħelwa empha- sises that Gozo's heritage should not be held to a lesser standard," the NGO said. Din l-Art Ħelwa said the Brit- ish Barracks are an exceptionally early surviving example of pur- pose-built, multi-room family ac- commodation for ordinary British soldiers. They later served as a military hospital during the First World War and as Gozo's leprosy hospital from 1937 to 1956. The report stresses that their signifi- cance lies not only in their distinc- tive limestone arcades but in the intact relationship between the façade, the internal structure and the surrounding fortifications. Furthermore, the NGO said the report also demonstrates that adaptive reuse is economically vi- able without relying on the dem- olition and reconstruction of its historic fabric. Din l-Art Ħelwa has urged the goverment to act immediately to ensure and retain the stability of the surrounding fortifications and overlying historic struc- tures, including the polverista (gunpowder store) which has recently showed signs of con- siderable movement. The re- port highlights those parts of the fortifications, particularly on the western side, are affected by instability in the underlying geological formations and that conservation will require sub- stantial structural engineering works. This intervention is re- quired irrespective of whether further private development proceeds. Executive President Patrick Calleja said that "We welcome the Europa Nostra report and its clear recommendation for Grade 1 scheduling. It leaves no room for doubt and confirms what we have long maintained and been striving for: the British Barracks at Fort Chambray are of outstanding European signif- icance and must be protected. We insist that the Authorities grant Grade 1 scheduling im- mediately and take the neces- sary steps to secure the stability of the fortifications, including the precariously perched pol- verista, which is showing alarm- ing signs of movement. I would like to publicly thank Christo- pher Hurst and Graham Bell for their commitment to this Europa Nostra programme and DLĦ Councillors Daniel Cil- ia and Luke Said for their in- defatigable efforts to save the Barracks from demolition and the rest of Fort Chambray from over development." Din l-Art Ħelwa has requested the Superintendence of Cultur- al Heritage, the Planning Au- thority and the Government of Malta to act without delay. The British Barracks at Fort Cham- bray are a vital part of Gozo's and Europe's shared heritage. They must be protected now, before it is too late. Momentum supports Grade 1 scheduling of Fort Chambray British Barracks In a statement, Momentum said it welcomed the call by Eu- ropa Nostra for the immediate Grade 1 scheduling of the Brit- ish Barracks at Fort Chambray and urges the government to act without further delay to protect this unique part of Gozo's her- itage. "Despite repeated warnings from heritage organisations and the international recognition of the barracks' outstanding his- torical and cultural value, there appears to be no political will from either the Government or the Opposition to ensure the full protection of this site," the party said. "Instead of putting the public interest and our heritage first, the political establishment con- tinues to tolerate a planning sys- tem that prioritises development interests over the preservation of our national heritage. The British Barracks are the only British bar- racks in Gozo, an important part of the island's military and social history, and a site with the poten- tial to become a major cultural and tourism attraction," Member of the Momentum committee, Carmel Asciak said. Momentums said that the Brit- ish Barracks should be preserved, restored, and made accessible to the public, and immediately giv- en Grade 1 protection. "Grade 1 is the highest level of heritage protection in Malta and means that a historic building will be preserved in its entirety, with only very limited alterations al- lowed. Any lower grade would allow for various alterations to take place." "For many years, this site has re- mained inaccessible to the public. An entire generation has grown up without the opportunity to visit and experience this impor- tant part of Gozo's heritage." Fort Chambray