Case Study 4

Behind the facade of 'conservation'

It has become fashionable in Sliema to seek a compromise between preserving Maltese heritage and creating more apartments by gutting townhouses whilst retaining their facade.  The new property invariably packs in more people for the same footprint; these projects commonly extend both below and behind the original house thereby eliminating gardens and wells that formerly saved rain/runoff.

 

This 'renovation' process may appear superficially to bring some benefits but often results in an unfortunate mongrel with the worst of both old and new. 

Modern apartments tend to be cramped and energy dependent unlike their gracious predecessors; traditional townhouses had passive features such as courtyards and high ceilings which coped with the summer heat through convection rather than by the use of expensive, unsustainable electrical power.

 

 

NATURAL VENTILATION?

A perceived advantage of rebuilding over existing house sites includes the potential to add garages, but a survey of the permits granted in Sliema over the last decade or two will show that many high rise projects fail to provide enough car parking spaces for their anticipated occupants - a situation addressed by the CPPS in theory.  However although over EUR3M has been raised from this scheme since 1995 in Sliema alone, not a cent has been spent on additional parking anywhere in the locality so far; the net result is ever increasing pressure on the available street spaces as more 'units' bring in more residents without there being any provision for their vehicles.  Some innovative but regrettable solutions - such as converting elegant palazzos into carparks - see below - have been trialled instead with very limited benefit to the community at large.

 

A GHOST OF SLIEMA'S PAST - USED AS A CARPARK FOR TWO DECADES

 

Of course the real drive behind this facile trend is money.  The charade allows owners to convert a single property (often inherited or bought cheaply from the State) into multiple units.  The loss of privacy and community entailed in such 'conversions' is not considered in the planning process as it has no cost to the developer.  Demolition and rebuilding are cheaper, requiring less labour and skill, than the restoration of an existing building.  Discriminating buyers may prefer the craftsmanship and strength of a traditional townhouse - which was built to last - to a new apartment, but they are not being offered much choice. 

There is a risk of permits to demolish being obtained and buildings knocked down on the understanding that the facade will be respected - only for it to be then left derelict until nature takes over and wipes the site clean.  Many unsightly and unsafe facades litter the streets of Sliema today.  Falling masonry is not an unusual hazard for pedestrians.

 

Since the property market has become saturated, and few foreigners are tempted to buy in Sliema these days, it is hoped that this form of profiteering will soon become part of Sliema's history.  However the large site near the Preluna Hotel (bottom of High Street) is continuing to grow up from the ruins of three gracious sea front villas as the following photographs show.  Is this wise?

Early stages showing fragile facade completely undermined.

Notice also the cut well running under/near the neighbour

 

The core of the new structure going up 

The view from existing apartments on High Street - pretty blue scaffolding

Aggressive excavation beside existing properties