Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1547510
16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 NOVEMBER 2026 NEWS A Planning Board meeting to de- cide on extensions to a property adjoining the French ambassa- dor's official residence in Żebbuġ was postponed on Thursday 5 November, after the applicant submitted a security assessment only days before the sitting. The sitting was postponed by six weeks, because documents have to be available for public scruti- ny at least 15 days before board meetings. Security assessment commissioned The embassy requested more time to examine the report, pre- pared by SHIELD Consultants Ltd and commissioned by the appli- cant, notary Michael Laferla. The assessment argues the pro- posed development is unlikely to significantly increase security risks to the adjoining diplomatic residence. The postponement follows an unusual sequence of events in which objections by the French ambassador over the security of her official residence led five board members to declare, at an earlier meeting in August, that they would vote against a develop- ment recommended for approval by the Planning Authority's (PA) case officer. The application (PA/00129/24) concerns alterations and exten- sions to a property at 38b, Triq Sant' Antnin, adjoining Palazzo Manduca, the official residence of French ambassador Sandrine Lel- ong-Motta. The French government has owned the palazzo since 1998. In her original submission, the am- bassador also raised heritage con- cerns. The planning case officer had recommended approval after con- cluding the planning and heritage concerns had been addressed. The Superintendence of Cultur- al Heritage had also cleared the proposed works, subject to con- ditions. At the 27 August meeting, Ambassador Lelong-Motta per- sonally addressed the board. She explained Palazzo Manduca had been owned by the French gov- ernment since 1998 and had been acquired with the expectation that its existing security and privacy would be maintained. The ambassador warned the two additional floors proposed by the applicant could obstruct windows overlooking the residence's inter- nal courtyard, reducing natural light and ventilation in rooms including bedrooms and bath- rooms. She also expressed concern the development could create a direct connection between the respec- tive rooftops, compromising the security and privacy of the diplo- matic premises. Lelong-Motta referred to the historic and architectural value of Palazzo Manduca, which dates back to 1716, and the investment made by the French government in preserving the building and its gardens. Access to new development's roof could compromise security Architect Matthieu Bourez, a heritage specialist from the Build- ing Directorate in Rome, raised concerns about the additional structural load on the historic building and the impact of enclos- ing the courtyard on ventilation and humidity. He also warned access to the new roof for main- tenance could compromise the security and privacy of the resi- dence. The embassy's architect, Perit Tara Cassar, argued the increased height would create an elevated platform from which future occu- pants could observe activities and movements within the diplomatic residence. She stressed the assessment should consider the long-term implications of the development rather than assume that future oc- cupants would behave in the same way as the current applicant. She also maintained the pro- posed one-metre parapet would not prevent access to the roof or eliminate the possibility of over- looking the residence. Laferla disputed these concerns, arguing the existing low-level roof already allowed views towards the embassy and that the revised plans, which removed part of the proposed roof area and restricted access, would improve the situa- tion. The applicant's architect al- so maintained the development would remain lower than the ad- joining residence and that other buildings in the surrounding area were higher. The architect said the applicant had removed a sub- stantial part of the proposed roof area and closed off the section overlooking the embassy. The case officer had considered the revised plans acceptable, not- ing that access to the rear roof terrace had been removed to safe- guard the privacy and security of the diplomatic premises. The directorate also considered the proposed height and façade acceptable within the surrounding streetscape. However, the board's chairman stressed the main issue was not simply privacy, overlooking or loss of light and ventilation, but the security of a diplomatic resi- dence and Malta's international obligations to protect diplomatic premises. The chairman, Joe Agius, Roma- no Cassar, Karen Zerafa and Karl Cutajar subsequently declared they would vote against the direc- torate's recommendation because of security concerns. Cassar also cited privacy con- cerns and argued the lowering of the existing ceiling was intended to facilitate an additional floor. Since five members had declared their intention to oppose the rec- ommendation, the application was deferred under Regulation 13(4) of the planning regulations. The Executive Chairman in- structed that a new refusal reason be drafted under Article 72(2) (d) of the Development Planning Act, treating security as a material planning consideration. The proposed refusal reason stated the increased height and elevated vantage point, close to the diplomatic residence, could make it easier to observe activities and movements within the prem- ises. It also said that the proposed one-metre parapet wall and re- striction on direct roof access did not adequately address this con- cern. The security assessment submit- ted ahead of Thursday's meeting, dated 23 October and received by the PA on 30 October, reaches a different conclusion. It rates the additional risk created by the de- velopment as "low", provided cer- tain design and access measures are put in place. SHIELD makes clear its assess- ment looks only at the additional risk arising from the proposed development. It does not assess the overall security of the ambas- sador's residence or examine the embassy's own security arrange- ments. One of its arguments is that the surrounding area already contains several properties with rooftops higher than the diplomatic resi- dence. The report identifies four such properties and refers to a photographic survey document- ing these buildings. It also refers to photographs showing an existing line of sight between the applicant's property and the diplomatic premises. According to the assessment, this line of sight is expected to disappear once the development is completed. However, the report says this still needs to be checked against the final architectural drawings. The proposed development would increase the height shown in one section of the report from 8.53m to 9.64m, a rise of 1.11m. SHIELD argues an increase in height does not automatically mean that the ability to observe or threaten the diplomatic premises is increased. Its low-risk assessment depends on measures including restricting access to the rear roof to author- ised maintenance, controlling contractors and visitors, and checking the design of openings on the upper floors. The report also acknowledges its assessment of the local threat level as low is a professional judgement, rather than a formal intelligence rating. This is because it did not have access to classified informa- tion or intelligence specific to the diplomatic mission. Dispute raises unusual questions for PA The dispute raises an unusual question for the PA: how should it weigh the security concerns of a diplomatic mission against an applicant's argument that a pro- posed development would not sig- nificantly increase the risks to it? The Vienna Convention on Dip- lomatic Relations obliges the re- ceiving state to take appropriate steps to protect diplomatic prem- ises against intrusion or damage and to prevent disturbance of their peace or impairment of their dignity. It does not, however, automat- ically give a diplomatic mission a veto over development on adjoin- ing private property. The property lies within Żeb- buġ's urban conservation area and close to the Grade 1 parish church of St Philip of Agira and the Grade 1 Ospizio San Giuseppe. Heritage concerns had focused on the removal of traditional tim- ber and stone-slab ceilings, alter- ations to historic fabric and the impact of the extensions on the surrounding streetscape. The case officer considered these issues addressed following the superin- tendence's clearance, subject to conditions. No final decision has yet been taken. The Planning Board will have to consider the applicant's assessment alongside the ambas- sador's objections and its own earlier concerns before deciding whether the extensions can pro- ceed. French ambassador's security concerns put Zebbug development on hold JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt The French ambassador's official residence in Zebbug