Fort Chambray: Developers say they want to add value, NGOs object

Four NGOs are encouraging members of the public to object to development plans at Fort Chambray, particularly the demolition of the fort’s barracks, as today is the last day in which people can submit their views to the Planning Authority.

Din l-Art Ħelwa Għawdex, Għawdix, Moviment Graffitti, and Wirt Għawdex have harshly criticised the plans submitted by a group of developers who stepped in to revive an abandoned project that was handed to Gozitan businessman Michael Caruana, who owns Gozo’s Hotel Calypso.

The original project, conceded through a parliamentary concession in the 1990s, has lain dormant for years.

The developers, on the other hand, say their intention is to add value to the site. The Shift spoke to the developers to address the concerns raised by NGOs. They said, “The plans form part of an already approved master plan for the site, whereby measures for the general public to be allowed access to the site and its enjoyment have been taken into consideration”.

If approved, the new plans would develop some 4,500 square metres of new floor space not included in the original master plan.

Calling for protection

The NGOs are calling for the protection of the fort, saying other forts in Malta, such as Mtarfa, Pembroke, and St George’s, have protection status.

“Fort Chambray’s British barracks are unique in Gozo, and the only ones within a Knight’s period fortification, making their lack of protection unacceptable,” the NGOs said in a statement on Wednesday.

They have drawn attention to the planned demolition of Fort Chambray’s Married Quarters British Barracks, which they say is one of Malta’s oldest and only British barracks in Gozo.

They said the developers were misleading when they called the south-facing portico “a screen” for its relocation. “The portico is a vital architectural element, providing shade and ventilation. Describing the barracks as ‘derelict’ overlooks their restoration potential,” the NGOs said.

They added that the proposal to dismantle the arcade and demolish the rest violated the Fort Chambray Development Brief’s Existing Buildings Retention Policy.

The developers behind the project said they noted concerns raised about this application (PA/2454/16), which refers to the ‘Dismantling of British Barracks as part of Fort Chambray phase 3 development’. They said this application follows the outline development permit (PA/02024/07) approved in 2012.

“The outline application was approved on condition that the applicant must provide a mapping of the British Barracks façade and a works method statement for the approved dismantling works.  During the course of this application, additional conditions were imposed by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage, namely, to retain the flanks of the British barracks in addition to the arcade,” they told The Shift.

They added that “the interior of the British barracks had been completely reconfigured during the 70s, including elements of military significance”.

Giving value to ‘what was left’

The developers said “the idea of dismantling and re-construction” was to give value to what was left. “The proposal through this application was to ensure that the British barracks building, which was a later addition to Fort Chambray, and built on ground at a level above the fortification line, is properly integrated into a masterplan”.

Two planning applications have been submitted to take over 60 unfinished apartments to be replaced by new apartments and a hotel.

Yet the NGOs say that the recent submissions (PA 03884/23) relating to the demolition of the British barracks and development permission application for Phase 3 development (PA 03884/23) depart from the original plans for the barracks and should be suspended until the scheduling application requested by the NGOs is resolved.

The NGOs insisted that an emergency conservation order be issued to protect Fort Chambray’s British barracks. They said the developers’ approach diminished the value of restoration.

The developers insisted the regeneration of the fort also included the restoration of a number of historical buildings including the Knights’ barracks, the naval bakery, the Polverista and Dar it-Tabib.

“The project is designed with a commitment to provide a sustainable development which will target quality tourism to Gozo, which includes a 5-star boutique hotel.  Through discussions with a number of entities, we are also earmarking an area on site to display the heritage of the fort and other historically relevant details about the site.”

Failed plans for Fort Chambray

The Knights of St John built Fort Chambray in the early 1700s as a part of Gozo’s defence fortifications. It served as a mental health institution in the 1960s and 1970s before being passed to the Zammit Tabona family before the 1987 elections.

After the Nationalist Party came to power, Fort Chambray Ltd, a Monaco-registered company, was given the site in a 99-year concession. However, the project never got off the ground due to insufficient funds.

In 2004, the government handed the entire project to Gozitan businessman Michael Caruana, who transformed parts of the site into luxury apartments. However, large swathes of the site remain unfinished and are far from completion.

When The Shift spoke to Caruana, he said it was his right to transfer ‘his’ Fort Chambray concession to third parties, saying the government “did not own anything”.

When Caruana failed to meet the targets set in the concession, the government had the option of taking back public land. Yet it chose to sit idly for years on a project long overdue.

The developers who joined Caruana include Francesco Grima il-Gigu, Vince Borg of Bitmac, known as Censu n-Nizz, Ninu Fenech and his sons of TUM Invest, Mario Gauci of Burmarrad Commercials and Oliver Brownrigg of BT Commercial.

The transfer of public land is only allowed through a parliamentary resolution. The two main political parties – PN and PL – did not object to the transfer in a parliamentary resolution presented in June.