An application for a “Rural Room,” in Triq ta’ Hondoq ir-Rummien, Qala, is currently awaiting a decision by the Planning Authority, under PA/0 3029/24. The Case Office has recommended to refuse permission.

The applicant in this case is Gozo Prestige Holidays – Joe Cassar, through their architect Deborah Busuttil. The Board agenda date on the decision is the 25th of February.

The description of works is “to demolish pre-1967 rural room and to reconstruct collapsed walls, ceiling and parapet walls as it is.”

Qala Mayor Paul Buttigieg has made a video at the site and put the Council’s views forward against this application being granted permission.

Buttigieg said that, “having read the case officer’s report, I would like to say that I agree with his recommendation for refusal and also with the recommendation of several other entities that recommended refusal and also objected.”

The Mayor went on to quote parts of the published Case Officer’s report that he said he feels “are of importance for the board to consider when making a decision on case PA/03029/24 on the 25th of February.”

These are as follows:

“The board should also consider that according to the plans, 2 windows appear that are not present in the existing building and in the first set of drawings. The first set of proposed plans stated that the height of the building would be equivalent to 2.93m now this has increased to 3.08m in the recent plans that have been submitted.

The construction methodology of the building has also been updated. The first plan showed that it would be built as a rubble wall, then it was stated that the walls would be built on the inside with limestone and externally it would be clad with rubble stone to achieve the appearance of a rubble wall.

The proposal as it stands will set a precedent for development in a special conservation area. The proposal and construction will result in the degradation of the rural character of the surrounding landscape and the vernacular characteristics of the structure. This room should be restored to its original state and hand-built as it was built in the past and not demolished and rebuilt.

Din l-Art Helwa objected to the proposal citing further ODZ land acquisition, and argued that the application must be reviewed in strict accordance with the RPDG 2014 policy. Thematic Objective 1.10 from the SPED 2015 is also cited.

Qala Local Council has also registered an interest in this application and would like to ensure that there is no intensification of use in the area.

The Superintendent of Cultural Heritage (SCH) has expressed concerns regarding the proposed demolition and reconstruction of the chamber. SCH has indicated their concerns regarding the proposed construction methodology of this chamber. The SCH requested that the room be repaired and restored to its existing state

According to the case officer, the proposal contravenes Policy 6.2A of the Rural Policy Design Guidance 2014 as the alterations would degrade the historic and vernacular aspects of the structure and Thematic Objective 8 of the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development 2015 as it seeks to control activities that may have a direct negative impact on cultural heritage in sensitive areas and vernacular structures

The site is designated as an Area of ??High Landscape Sensitivity

The site is located Outside the Development Zone. According to the Gozo Comino local Plan the site is designated as AHLS, which means that Policy GZ-RLCN-1 applies.”

The Qala Mayor stated that he “would like to convey to the board and which is not mentioned in the case officer’s report is that, opposite the room mentioned in this application, there is a chapel known as the Madonna tal-Blat.”

“I would like to emphasise again that this room should not be demolished but only restored and the wall known to be there should be built by hand with the existing stones and remain at the same height as it is,” concluded Buttigieg.

Photo: PA and photos and by video on main article by Paul Buttigieg

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