Swieqi Residents Won’t Back Down Over Possible Construction Of Five Storey Apartment Block
Residents of Triq il-Ħemel in Swieqi united once again in objection to the proposed development of a five-storey apartment block which will become an eyesore in a street of two-storey terraced houses if approved.
The terraced house in question in Triq il-Ħemel was constructed on land originally granted by the Archbishop’s Curia known as Art tal-Kbira which was granted to engaged couples for the strict construction of terraced houses only and no other dwellings/units at all.
The residents explained that this was a contractual obligation that persisted when Church properties were transferred to the Joint Office.
The Swieqi Local Council strongly objected to this application because “if approved, it would result in an incongruous block intruding into what is now a terrace of two-storey houses,” seeking to ruin the streetscape entirely.
On Wednesday, a press conference was held by residents in the public area near the Swieqi Local Council, police station and MaltaPost branch where the present issues were discussed.
“The apartments in question will invariably end up on the ‘short let’ market. Our experience of short lets in this street involves mayhem at all hours of the night as a result of parties organised by adolescents (both inside and outside apartments) inebriated with excessive volumes of alcohol, illicit substance abuse and sometimes even prostitution,” A press release penned by Swieqi residents reads.
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“The St Julian’s police are called in to assist regularly but are powerless to do anything and indeed are often jeered at by the groups of people causing disturbances” including “front gardens used as urinals, damage to public and private property, exacerbation of garbage problems and ruination of the streetscape.”
Swieqi residents filed an objection to PA/1580/24 for the excavation, demolition and construction of the block due to concerns that further development is “just the beginning” and that their “right to peace and tranquillity enjoyed so far is under threat”.
A hearing regarding this objection is taking place on 24th October.
Residents of the town say that Swieqi has become an extension of Paceville, with most apartment blocks being short-letted to students, and the once quiet town has become a place of disturbance, vandalism and dirtiness due to the excess rubbish left on the streets which has led to rat infestations all summer long.
“A number of individuals – clearly involved in the real estate sector – have commented on social media extolling the ‘benefits’ of residents cashing in on capital appreciation and having residential units for their siblings. Truth is that these are homes we are talking about and not investment properties. Moreover, it is hardly the aspiration of the residents’ siblings to live in the developers’ apartments ‘utopia’ and a number of residents’ children have even left the Island altogether!” the statement continued.
“The fact remains that residents are now threatened in their own homes – on the one hand by the unruly behaviour of the unsavoury characters being attracted to Swieqi by short-let offerings and on the other by developers intent on forcing people out of their homes. The battle is for maintaining a decent/acceptable quality of life and stopping it from degrading further. On a larger scale, the sort of tourism being attracted by the Airbnb brigade is something which does product Malta no justice whatsoever.”
“Swieqi is a residential priority zone and should be treated as such. Unfortunately, the PA appear to be oblivious to the pronouncements of case law (eg the Santa Lucija case) meaning that the authority rides roughshod over the valid claims of residents.”
The Prime Minister Robert Abela has also been spoken to and the residents have no intention of backing down.
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