The Coalition for Gozo, with the backing of several environment and heritage NGOs and hundreds of citizens, among whom eminent academics, historians, and artists, has submitted a request for an Emergency Conservation Order for the British Barracks at Fort Chambray.

This comes after requests for the scheduling of the 19th century building made by the Coalition for Gozo were repeatedly ignored. The Għajnsielem Local Council is also supporting the request to grant scheduling protection to the barracks.

The failure to schedule the British Barracks made it possible for the Planning Authority to approve their demolition on 12th December, 2024, paving the way for the development of the mid-18th century fort built by the Knights into an aparthotel and apartments.

The NGOs stressed that the British Barracks should be protected for their historical, architectural, cultural and typological value. 

In their request for an Emergency Conservation Order, the organisations have stressed the importance of protecting the barracks as they are unique in Gozo, and also because they are among the first, or even possibly the first, example of married quarters in the British Empire.

The building was constructed entirely in Globigerina Limestone by the same master mason who was entrusted with the construction of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu.

Research carried out by Din l-Art Ħelwa – Għawdex shows that the Chambray Barracks date back to at least 1895. A late 19th century Admiralty map of Gozo held at the National Archives of Malta shows that Fort Chambray’s British Barracks were already on plan in 1895.

In view of the fact that most of the British barracks buildings in Malta have been granted scheduling protection, even when they are not as historic as the Fort Chambray British Barracks, the exclusion of the only British barracks in Gozo from such protection remains perplexing.

Despite Fort Chambray’s historical elements being scheduled in 2005, the barracks were left pending, allegedly to facilitate their eventual demolition for commercial development.

The NGOs also criticised the misleading narrative, propagated by the developers and their architects, that the interior of the building was significantly modified during the 1980s, and that consequently, only few authentic British elements of the structure remain.

However, research conducted by the organisations shows that the internal layout has remained practically untouched after 129 years. A comparison between the architectural drawing of the original plan made by the British and the plan of the building in its current state shows that the modifications made are minor.