Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546858
7 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 30 SEPTEMBER 2026 NEWS Photomontages show proposed Bormla elderly home in UCA NEW photomontages submitted by developer Anton Schembri on 24 September show that the proposed reconstruction of the Bormla elderly home will result in a more imposing building than the existing structure overlooking the historic Santa Margerita chapel, although the design retains some stepped-down sections. The images were submitted while the planning application remains suspended, giving the developers more time to address concerns and requests for infor- mation raised by consultees, in- cluding the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage. The images show the proposed building rising above the existing home in several views, reflect- ing the Superintendence's earlier concern that the development would exceed the existing struc- ture in both height and volume. The proposed home will have 72 rooms over eight levels, includ- ing a basement. Available records do not establish that the existing home had the same number of rooms. The existing home, dating from the late 1990s, accommodated around 120 residents when it closed in June 2023 following se- rious structural safety concerns linked to the building's concrete. The Superintendence had re- quested photomontages com- paring the existing and proposed buildings and a volumetric study showing the development from specific viewpoints. It has yet to issue its final opinion. The site is immediately adjacent to the Santa Margerita chapel and lies within Bormla's Urban Con- servation Area and the Area of High Landscape Value covering the city's harbour fortifications. Din l-Art Ħelwa has also ob- jected, arguing that the increased development density would affect the character of the area. The proposal comes amid grow- ing demand for elderly accommo- dation as Malta's population ages, creating pressure for additional facilities while raising questions over the use of ODZ land and the impact of larger developments on sensitive urban and heritage are- as. Recent policy changes have sought to facilitate elderly homes within development zones, in- cluding through provisions allow- ing additional height in certain circumstances. At the same time, ODZ proposals have faced scru- tiny over whether suitable urban alternatives exist. The Bormla home was closed in 2023 after around 120 residents were evacuated. A government application approved that year envisaged reconstruction without exceeding the existing building's volume and number of floors. A €102 million public tender to demolish, design, rebuild and op- erate the Bormla home was issued in 2024. Carewise Joint Venture, comprising Schembri Barbros Ltd and Archway Operators Ltd, submitted the lowest bid. Fresh planning applications for the demolition and reconstruction of the home were subsequently sub- mitted. The current application remains suspended pending responses to outstanding concerns raised dur- ing the planning process. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Top: The current development. Bottom: A rendering of the proposed development An aerial shot of the proposed development