The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage has concluded that a proposed five-storey apartment building in Dingli would have an excessive impact on a medieval chapel.

The proposed development along a newly created road is close to the planned Santa Duminka chapel. The immediate context is still mainly composed of two-storey houses. The proposed development adjoins a road built by Infrastructure Malta in 2021 amid the Moviment Graffitti protests.

The SCH came to this conclusion after examining photomontages it had requested in April showing the proposed development next to the listed medieval chapel.

Although the SCH does not have the final say on whether or not a permit is approved, its opinion has an impact on planning decisions, particularly in development projects proposed in the immediate vicinity of listed buildings.

But the Superintendence left a window open for the development of the open space around the chapel, saying it “could consider” a development that does not exceed three full floors without any penthouse level.

The SCH will only commit after the presentation of modified photomontages showing the impact of a three-storey project. The Superintendence reserves the right to request any additional mitigation measures it deems necessary.

As expected, the montages show the medieval chapel wedged between an already constructed common wall and the proposed apartments whose balconies will face the chapel.

At one angle, along Triq il-Buskett, the new block will also completely obscure the already compromised view of St Mary’s Parish Church, which is already being challenged by other developments.

But while the dome and one of the church’s bell towers are currently visible, this will no longer be the case if the new development is approved.

The submission of photomontages to assess the impact of developments in the immediate vicinity of planned buildings was made mandatory by regulations introduced by former Planning Minister Aaron Farrugia in 2020.

The five-storey residential block is proposed along Triq il-Kappella Medjevali, a controversial street built by Infrastructure Malta in 2021 amid protests by the Moviment Graffitti.

The application submitted by Angelica Stafrace, the owner of the site, provides for the development of the undeveloped plot of land of 184 m² which currently includes several fruit trees.

Although located within the development zone, the proposed residential block is within the buffer zone of the Santa Duminka Chapel. The chapel has Level 1 protection and the proposed development is just 17 metres away.

The site planned for development was not connected to the road network before the construction of the new road.

The plans call for the excavation of a reservoir, the development of garages and a shop on the ground floor, six apartments on the three upper levels and a set-back penthouse on the fifth floor.

In 2021, Infrastructure Malta said the new road, which created an entrance and exit at Sqaq il-Muzew and Daħlet is-Sienja, was essential for emergency services to access those areas. But Graffitti warned that the new road would pave the way for residential development in the area.

The new road was built without planning permission because it had been included in local plans after being planned in the 1960s and because a 2008 legal notice exempts state bodies from seeking planning permission for planned roads.