Decision To ‘Bulldoze’ British Colonial Barracks At Fort Chambray Makes International Headlines
The Times UK covered the planned demolition of the barracks at Fort Chambray, titling the piece “Uproar over plan to bulldoze British barracks in Malta”.
The article, written by Tom Kington on Monday evening, noted the frustrated public reaction to this Planning Authority decision, saying it sparked “angry protests from academics, heritage groups and locals”.
“Built in local stone and fronted by a two-storey portico, the 1898 barracks at Fort Chambray sits atop cliffs overlooking the port on Gozo, Malta’s small neighbouring island,” the piece reads.
Kington wrote about the history and use of the barracks, explaining that they hosted military officers and their families during Britain’s colonial presence in Malta, which ended in 1964.
It explained that the barracks will demolished to “reassemble the two-storey arched exterior and use it as the facade for a five-storey spa hotel being built further back from the cliff edge within the grounds of the fort”.
The article quoted different NGOs – like Il-Kollettiv and Din L-Art Ħelwa – academics from the University of Malta and Michael Caruana – the developer responsible for this project.
Last week, the PA decided to approve this controversial development which seeks to construct 105 residential units and a five-star aparthotel with 50 apartments and 64 ensuite rooms.
This was decided despite over a thousand objections to the proposal as well as protests against the granting of the historic barracks and fort to developers.
Caruana transformed the fort into luxury apartment and a residential area, but after a bipartisan parliamentary committee unanimously agreed to amend the fort’s 99-year concession, Caruana was then also able to sell it to a group of unnamed investors.
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