Maltese Artist’s Flamingo Mural Will Have To Be Removed Due To Visual Impact On Surroundings
A mural painted on the wall of a private residence will have to come down because it does not fit in with the surroundings of the village.
Yesterday Lovin Malta reported that officials from the Planning Authority had visited Thirtyseven Home Hotel in Munxar and informed its owners that the roughly 85 sq.m mural needed to be removed because no permit had been applied for.
A spokesperson for the Planning Authority confirmed that this was the case and explained that the reason the mural must be taken down is that it can be seen both from short and long-distance, and is incongruent with its surroundings.
According to Article 2 of the Development Planning Act, “alterations” to a building include plastering or painting that “materially alters the external appearance of a structure so as to render the appearance inconsistent with the character of the structure or neighbouring structures.
The spokesperson added that no permission is required to paint a wall unless it is for the purpose of advertising or is incongruent with the streetscape.
“In this case, the site is located within the Urban Conservation Area of Munxar. The mural is visible from the public street at close and medium range, as well as from distance views. It is evident that the painting is not in congruence with the streetscape,” the spokesperson said.
They added that the “white wall” referred to as being “ugly” by the hotel’s owners had been constructed by themselves.
What do you make of the Planning Authority’s explanation?
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