An EU-funded scheme with a total funding of €5 million for the restoration of facades on old properties in Victoria, has been launched by the Minister for Gozo and Planning Clint Camilleri.

This scheme will be funded under the Priority for Sustainable Urban Development, which the Government has dedicated exclusively to Gozo through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), with a total value of €58 million.

The work and planning of projects and initiatives from this fund has been ongoing for months, including through the Directorate for Policy Development and Programme Implementation, the Minister said.

Minister Clint Camilleri stated, “as a Government we have succeeded in transforming Valletta. Now it is the turn of the Capital City of Gozo and its people to benefit from this European funding. But we are not stopping here. In fact, after Victoria, this scheme will be opened to more villages in Gozo. In addition, the Planning Authority is committed and planning to allocate funds so that the rest of the country can benefit from similar restoration schemes in the other regions of Malta.”

Minister Camilleri went on to say that “as a Government we firmly believe in the importance and positive impact of providing funds for those historic areas and heritage buildings. This is because these financial incentives encourage people to continue restoring the facades of houses that so beautify our village centres and their properties.”

Chief Executive of the Planning Authority Johann Buttigieg said that, “residential houses in the urban conservation area will be benefiting from this scheme. The Planning Authority will in the near future have a number of other schemes for each region similar to this scheme but on a wider scale so that more people beautify their places and more first-time buyers are encouraged to buy these places.”

The scheme opened on, Monday, the 21st of April, where interested parties can submit an Expression of Interest online by clicking here.

The Expression of Interest consists of a simple form that can be completed online, and at an initial stage there will be no need for the applicant to engage an Architect.

Residential properties located within the Urban Conservation Area (UCA) of Victoria and which have never benefited from similar schemes of the Planning Authority are eligible. Depending on the building category:

Properties within the UCA may qualify for a maximum of €15,000 Scheduled grade 1 or 2 properties may qualify for a maximum of €25,000

The scheme guidelines will be published on the official website of the Planning Authority by clicking here.

Minister Camilleri encouraged anyone who owns a property in Victoria, Gozo that falls within the urban conservation area and wishes to restore its facade to apply for the scheme.

He concluded by saying, “Our aim is above all to continue to beautify our towns and villages, among others, through the preservation of old buildings that form part of our identity.”

Photo: DOI

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