The Destruction of Moynihan House

The latest proposal of a 5 storey building at St. George’s Bay, which is part of the Villa Rosa development proposal will result in the destruction of another important historic building in the Maltese Islands. Moynihan House, as it is called, is set to become another victim of unsustainable development.

This building is the birthplace of Lord Berkeley Moynihan, a very famous and important British abdominal surgeon. Moynihan House, together with Dolphin House, which is also said to be destroyed in the same project, are two of the oldest buildings in the area. It is known that Moynihan House was built before 1860. The building is known to have an austere Victorian style and therefore makes it a very rare type of building in Malta.

According to a study by Archaeology Services Limited, the building is given a protection value of Grade 2. This grade allows some internal developments, but prohibits obliteration. This means that the importance given to this building in the Environmental Impact Statement is totally ignored by the developers and the authority.

Today, Moynihan House is totally neglected with its interior being used as a rubbish dump. This is very shameful, since historical sites should be given the highest amount of protection possible and not left in a decomposing state! But what makes matters worse is the fact that this building, together with Dolphin House, are proposed to be substituted by offices, restaurants and a language school!

ADZ Malta Green Youth therefore proposes the restoration of Moynihan House to its original state as a cultural site, to be used by the general public and not the demolition of our heritage.

Why are we doing nothing to stop this madness? Why are we destroying our own cultural heritage? This project is a disgrace for our nation since it does not only lead to more useless high rise buildings, but it also leads to the total destruction of an important historical place!