A row of traditional townhouses located on the outskirts of Sliema in Triq Mons. G. Depiro may be demolished and are now raising concerns among heritage experts. At the end of July, an application popped up that proposed to demolish the existing dwellings and replace them with apartment blocks and a garage complex.

Back then, local organisation Din L-Art Helwa raised alarms against the proposal, saying it would not only ruin Sliema’s traditional townscape, but a part of local vernacular heritage will be lost to time. And now, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage is reportedly strongly objecting the proposal too, highlighting the fact that they are early 20th century buildings located within the Urban Conservation Area of the town, and also have vernacular and architectural value.

“The preservation of the visual integrity of the streetscape is a priority in this area,” they say. “These townhouses all feature traditional Maltese architectural features such as wooden doors and closed timber balconies, wrought iron fanlights coloured glass windows, garigor, traditional roofing structures,” they said in comments to a local newspaper.

The cultural watchdog also stated that this development will have a negative impact on the property and streetscape within Sliema’s Urban Conservation Area and will inevitably contribute to the “erosion of the cultural significance of the streetscape and the existing character of the village core.”

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