Proposal to build villa at Dingli Cliffs meets wall of objections

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, several NGOs and the Dingli council have objected to an application to build a villa with a pool on the locality’s picturesque cliffs, leading the architects to suspend the process.

The Outside Development Zone application seeks a permit to demolish an existing building and rebuild a residence with a pool adjacent to a building known as It-Turretta, which had been used as an Armed Forces of Malta base and which serves as a meteorological monitoring site.

PA5459/21, filed by Marco Aquilina, seeks to replace a number of rooms previously used for farming purposes in Triq It-Turretta and Triq Panoramika.

It proposes excavation to create a basement level for a games room and domestic stores, and an overlying ground floor level with kitchen and living area and two bedrooms and the master bedroom with an ensuite on the first floor.

Although the application refers to the demolition of the residence, objectors noted that it was never used as a residence. It was originally a small room used for farming, and photographic evidence shows sheep on site.

The site has a history of illegalities. In 2003, an application was filed to turn it into a residence.