The future of the terraced house in Malta

Abstract

The last few years have seen the typical Maltese terraced house situated outside the village cores being sacrificed on the altar of greed by developers in their pursuit of profits. This situation is leading to the widespread discontent by the public at large. It has exacerbated to the extent that the law courts are giving out judgements which are in direct conflict with the planning process, in tandem with the environment topping the government agenda. This research investigates if this trend can be reversed and if local planning policies should be changed so that certain areas outside the Urban Conservation Area are zoned specifically for two-storey terraced houses without the option of redeveloping them into apartment blocks. It employs a mixed methods and deductive approach consisting of a detailed literature review and on-site analysis to compare pristine terraced house neighbourhoods with those that have been impacted by the construction of multi-unit developments. A textual analysis of current planning policies is also carried out along with semi-structured interviews with various professionals. Key findings revealed that the future of the terraced house typology is influenced by the shifting demographics, housing demand, economic considerations, affordability issues, ownership rights and politics. Unless something is done and policies are changed, uninterrupted rows of terraced houses outside the UCA will disappear from our built environment. The few that are left add variety to the market and have an element of liveability and neighbourhood value which are worth protecting.