Fresh application to develop 17th-century Lija garden

The Planning Authority has received a new application to develop a 400-year-old garden at the crossroads of the Three Villages in a fresh attempt to forge ahead with a project that has already been refused. 

The refusal came following a storm of objections to the request to demolish the large garden and the adjacent baroque residence on the corner of Triq Annibale Preca in Lija and Triq Sant’Antnin in Balzan. 

The original proposal would have seen the excavation of the 17th-century garden measuring around 920 square metres, including protected citrus trees and garden rubble walls, to create eight basement garages and six two-storey townhouses with swimming pools.

All of the proposed dwellings are four-bedroom units, having a gross floor area exceeding 200 square metres. Alterations to the existing townhouse, which includes baroque-period architectural features, were also mentioned in the application.

On appealing the decision not to grant permission, the developer submitted fresh plans that re-duced the number of proposed two-storey townhouses to three. 

However, the garden itself will still be taken over, particularly with swimming pools. 

According to industry sources, the...