Four NGOs urge the public to oppose the destruction of Fort Chambray’s Married Quarters British Barracks, one of Malta’s oldest (c.1898) and the only British barracks in Gozo.
The proposal to dismantle the British Barracks screen (or arcade) and demolish the rest is deeply concerning and violates the Fort Chambray Development Brief’s Existing Buildings Retention Policy (points 9, 22, 36).
Calling the south-facing portico a ‘screen’ and suggesting its relocation is misleading. The portico is a vital architectural element, providing shade and ventilation. Describing the barracks as ‘derelict’ overlooks their restoration potential.
In Malta, most British barracks, such as Imtarfa, 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.
In April 2024, Din l-Art Ħelwa Għawdex, Għawdix and Wirt Għawdex requested the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and the Planning Authority to schedule the British Barracks at Fort Chambray.
The processing of the demolishing of the British barracks and development permission application for Phase 3 development (PA 03884/23) should be suspended until the scheduling application is resolved. An emergency conservation order should also be issued to protect the Fort Chambray’s British barracks.
The Description of works by TBA Periti Architects in the PA application (PA/02454/16) from 8 years ago, and resurfacing again now, states ‘Dismantling of British Barracks as part of Fort Chambray phase 3 development (with a view of incorporating the arcade in the future hotel building).’
The description for development permission by Studiourban Architects for last year’s application for Phase 3 development of Fort Chambray (PA/03884/23) proposes the ‘…demolition of the existing vacant British Barracks… ‘. Why the term ‘vacant’ was inserted is unclear. Does it mean that nobody is residing there and therefore it can be safely demolished? The barracks are still in a very salvageable state and should be preserved and restored. Clearly, the intention is to demolish the building, and retain and relocate the portico or ‘arcade’ as referred to in the 2016 proposal description.
The NGOs also point out that there are no tourism projects planned for the footprint of the British barracks in Fort Chambray once it is demolished. Instead, the plan is to build as many maisonettes as possible to sell to the highest bidder, allowing the new developers, who took over Phase 3 from the previous concessionaire Dr Michael Caruana, to pocket millions of euros.
This must not happen! Neither the government nor any developer has the right to destroy part of Gozo and Malta’s history that belongs to all of us and our future generations. The spacious rooms in the married quarters barracks should be repurposed to serve the community rather than private interests. This could be a win-win situation: history restored, preserved, and reused for sustainable tourism and Gozo’s cultural enrichment, with the barracks serving alternatively as a boutique hotel and/or cultural centre, community hub, educational facility, and art studio.
The four NGOs urge the public to oppose the destruction of these British barracks in PA 02454/16 at: https://www.pa.org.mt/en/representationform?CaseFullRef=PA/02454/16
Organisations
Din l-Art Ħelwa Għawdex
Għawdix
Moviment Graffitti
Wirt Għawdex
******
Teqirdux il-Barracks tal-Ingliżi fil-Forti Chambray
Erba’ NGOs qed iħeġġu lill-pubbliku biex jopponi l-qerda tal-Barracks tal-Ingliżi fil-Forti Chambray, wieħed mill-eqdem barracks f’Malta (c.1898) u l-uniċi barracks tal-Ingliżi f’Għawdex.
Il-proposta biex tiġi żarmata l-faċċata tal-Barracks tal-Ingliżi u li l-bqija tal-binja tiġi mwaqqgħa hija ta’ tħassib sinifikanti, u tmur kontra l-Politika għaż-Żamma ta’ Binjiet Eżistenti tad-Development Brief tal-Forti Chambray (punti 9, 22, 36).
Li wieħed jirreferi għal-loġoġ li jħarsu lejn in-Nofsinhar bħala ‘screen’ u jissuġġerixxi li jiġu mċaqalqa għal post ieħor huwa qarrieqi. Il-loġoġ huma element arkitettoniku importanti ħafna, u jipprovdu d-dell u l-ventilazzjoni. Apparti minn hekk, il-fatt li l-barracks qed jiġu intenzjonalment deskritti bħala ‘mitluqa u abbandunati’ jinjora totalment il-potenzjal tagħhom li jiġu rrestawrati.
F’Malta, il-maġġoranza tal-barracks tal-Ingliżi, bħal dawk tal-Imtarfa, Pembroke, u San Ġorġ, igawdu minn status ta’ protezzjoni. Il-barracks tal-Ingliżi tal-Forti Chambray huma uniċi f’Għawdex, u huma wkoll l-uniċi barracks li jinsabu fi ħdan fortifikazzjoni ta’ żmien il-Kavallieri. Fid-dawl ta’ dan, mhuwiex aċċettabbli li l-barracks għadhom ma ngħatawx protezzjoni.
F’April tal-2024, Din l-Art Ħelwa Għawdex, Għawdix u Wirt Għawdex talbu lis-Sovrintendenza tal-Patrimonju Kulturali u lill-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar biex jiskedaw il-Barracks tal-Ingliżi fil-Forti Chambray.
L-ipproċessar tal-applikazzjoni għat-twaqqigħ tal-barracks tal-Ingliżi u l-applikazzjoni għat-tielet fażi tal-iżvilupp tal-Forti Chambray (PA 03884/23) għandhom jiġu sospiżi sakemm l-applikazzjoni għall-iskedar tiġi riżolta. Għandha wkoll tinħareġ ordni ta’ konservazzjoni ta’ emerġenza għall-protezzjoni tal-Barracks tal-Ingliżi fil-Forti Chambray.
Id-deskrizzjoni tax-xogħlijiet maħruġa minn TBA Periti Architects fl-applikazzjoni PA/02454/16 ta’ 8 snin ilu, u li reġgħet tfaċċat issa, tgħid hekk: ‘Żarmar tal-Barracks tal-Ingliżi bħala parti mill-fażi 3 tal-iżvilupp tal-Forti Chambray (bl-għan li l-faċċata bl-arkati tiġi inkorporata fil-binja tal-lukanda futura)’.
Issa, fl-aħħar deskrizzjoni maħruġa minn Studiourban Architects għall-applikazzjoni tas-sena l-oħra għall-Fażi 3 tal-iżvilupp tal-Forti Chambray (PA/03884/23), qed naraw hekk: ‘…it-twaqqigħ tal-Barracks tal-Ingliżi eżistenti battala…’. Ir-raġuni għalfejn ġie miżjud it-terminu ‘battala’ mhix ċara. Dan ifisser li m’hemm ħadd jgħix hemmhekk u għalhekk qed niġġustifikaw li jistgħu jiġu mwaqqgħa bla periklu? Il-barracks għadhom fi stat li jistgħu jiġu salvati, u għandhom jiġu ppreservati u rrestawrati. Huwa ċar li l-intenzjoni hija li l-binja titwaqqa’, u li jinżammu u jiġu rilokati l-loġoġ kif hemm imsemmi fid-deskrizzjoni tal-proposta tal-2016.
L-għaqdiet qed jiġbdu l-attenzjoni wkoll li m’hemm l-ebda proġett turistiku ppjanat għas-sit okkupat mill-Barracks tal-Ingliżi fil-Forti Chambray ladarba dawn jiġu mwaqqgħa. Minflok, il-pjan huwa li jibnu kemm jifilħu maisonettes biex jinbiegħu għal profitti kbar, u b’hekk, l-iżviluppaturi l-ġodda — li issa ngħatat f’idejhom it-3 Fażi tal-iżvilupp mingħand il-konċessjonarju preċedenti Michael Caruana — idaħħlu l-miljuni minn fuqhom.
Dan irid jiġi mwaqqaf! La l-Gvern u lanqas kwalunkwe żviluppatur m’għandu d-dritt ikisser parti mill-istorja ta’ Għawdex u Malta li tappartjeni lilna lkoll u lill-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri. Il-kmamar spazjużi fil-kwartieri li kienu jintużaw mis-suldati miżżewġa fil-barracks għandhom jerġgħu jingħataw il-ħajja mill-ġdid biex jaqdu lill-komunità u mhux lill-interessi privati. Din hija opportunità li mhux ta’ min nitilfuha: għandna ċ-ċans li dan is-sit storiku nirrestawrawh, nippreservawh u nagħtuh ħajja mill-ġdid għat-turiżmu sostenibbli u għall-arrikkiment kulturali t’Għawdex. Il-barracks jistgħu jintużaw bħala boutique hotel li tirrispetta l-kuntest storiku tagħhom, jew inkella bħala ċentru kulturali u komunitarju, faċilità edukattiva, jew studio tal-arti.
L-erba’ NGOs qed iħeġġu lill-pubbliku biex jopponi l-qerda ta’ dawn il-Barracks tal-Ingliżi (PA/02454/16) billi jdaħħal oġġezzjoni hawnhekk: https://www.pa.org.mt/en/representationform?CaseFullRef=PA/02454/16
Organizzazzjonijiet
Din l-Art Ħelwa Għawdex
Għawdix
Moviment Graffitti
Wirt Għawdex
