Mellieħa’s Abandoned Hotel San Remo Faces Rejection: Planning Officers Slam ‘Incongruous’ Seafront Development

**Reconstruction of derelict Mellieħa hotel recommended for refusal**

A controversial plan to rebuild the long-abandoned Hotel San Remo on Mellieħa’s prominent seafront has been dealt a significant blow after planning officers recommended its refusal, citing “serious negative impacts” on the protected coastline and the village’s historic character.

The proposed development, which would have seen the derelict 1960s hotel demolished and replaced with a modern six-storey, 200-room resort, has sparked fierce debate in the northern village where many residents view the crumbling structure as both an eyesore and a painful reminder of Malta’s tourism heyday.

The Planning Authority’s case officer report, seen by Hot Malta, pulls no punches in its assessment. “The proposed massing and scale would introduce an incongruous development that would dominate the sensitive coastline,” it states, noting that the building would rise 7.5 metres higher than its predecessor despite claims of maintaining the same height.

For Mellieħa locals, the hotel represents more than just another development proposal. The San Remo, which closed its doors in 2005, was once the beating heart of the village’s tourism industry, hosting generations of British and Italian holidaymakers who flocked to Malta’s sandy beaches. Its abandonment nearly two decades ago left what many describe as a “gaping wound” on the picturesque Mellieħa Bay.

“It’s like having a ghost at our doorstep,” says 68-year-old Maria Camilleri, who has lived opposite the site for 40 years. “We all want something done about it, but not at the expense of our village’s soul.”

The proposal has revealed a community torn between desperation to see the site redeveloped and concern over the precedent it might set. While the developers, QX Holdings Limited, have promised 150 new jobs and a €40 million investment, critics argue the plans represent everything that’s wrong with Malta’s current approach to tourism development.

Environmental NGOs have been particularly vocal. “This is prime agricultural land that should never have been built on in the first place,” argues Alfred Baldacchino from Friends of the Earth Malta. “Instead of learning from past mistakes, we’re compounding them.”

The timing is particularly sensitive as Mellieħa, like many Maltese coastal villages, grapples with overtourism concerns. The village’s population swells from 4,000 to over 20,000 during peak summer months, straining infrastructure and testing community cohesion.

The case officer’s report echoes these concerns, warning that the development would set “an undesirable precedent” for similar sites along Malta’s protected coastline. It specifically criticizes the proposed basement levels, which would require extensive excavation in an area known for its archaeological significance.

Archaeological considerations add another layer of complexity. Mellieħa’s coastline has yielded remains dating back to the Roman period, and the hotel site itself sits near known Punic-Roman burial grounds. The proposal’s Environmental Impact Assessment acknowledges this heritage but argues that “appropriate mitigation measures” would be implemented.

Local councillor Gabriel Micallef represents the divided views within the community. “We need development, but we need the right development,” he tells Hot Malta. “The village can’t afford another 15 years of dereliction, but neither can we afford to sacrifice our environment for short-term gains.”

The Planning Commission will make the final decision next Thursday, but the recommendation for refusal carries significant weight. For many Mellieħa residents, it represents a potential turning point in Malta’s approach to coastal development.

As the sun sets over Mellieħa Bay, casting long shadows across the abandoned hotel’s empty balconies, the message from planners seems clear: Malta’s future cannot be built on the wholesale destruction of its past. Whether this marks the beginning of a more sustainable approach to tourism development remains to be seen, but for Mellieħa, the stakes could not be higher.

The village that once welcomed tourists with open arms now finds itself at a crossroads, searching for a balance between economic necessity and environmental preservation that has eluded Malta for decades.