A five-storey block rising by Villa Bijou, an architectural gem in Rabat, has been described as yet another example of what can happen to built heritage through failure to protect its context.
It has raised questions about why the property in Triq Ġorġ Borg Olivier was never scheduled, despite its high heritage value, paving the way for neighbouring developments that would not respect the context and negatively impact the prestigious villa.
The flats are “rearing their ugly head” over it, compromising its visual integrity and harmony forever, according to Tony Cremona-Barbaro, who has been engaged in a 10-year battle to protect the context of his own unique 17-century Villa Barbaro, in Tarxien.