db Group’s massive City Centre project, on the former ITS site in Pembroke, has been confirmed once again after the court rejected a request to retry an appeal.  

This means that the permit to start works on the area now stands. The decision was handed down by Judge Lawrence Mintoff this morning, Times of Malta (TOM) has reported.

Last year, the courts ruled in favour of db Group to build two towers rising 17 and 16 floors - to be used for high-end apartments as well as for retail and commerical purposes - along with a 12-floor hotel.

The original permit was approved in 2018 but was sent back to the drawing board by the Court in 2019.

The court had revoked the permit as it had been revealed that PA board member Matthew Pace, who had voted in favour of the project, would financially benefit from the decision through his real estate business.

The group had then submitted fresh plans that replaced the initial 37-storey tower with two smaller ones and decreased the height of the hotel by seven floors.

In 2021, the controversial project was approved by a single vote by the Planning Authority. Of the 12 PA Board Members, five had recused themselves, four voted in favour while three votes against.

Nonetheless, this didn’t discourage residents, the local council and several NGOs, who raised €20,000 from the public to fight the planning permission at the Environment and Planning Tribunal (ERPT).

Last year, the court stated that the appeal was based on planning issues and not points of law, which led to the court rejecting the request. 

Again, objectors – which included Pembroke, St Julian’s and Swieqi local councils, nine NGOs and 10 individuals, argued that Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti applied the wrong law which motivated them to request a retry an appeal. 

Reactions to the court decision

Speaking to TOM, residents and activists stated that “the authorities refuse to enforce any conditions and do not protect residents or the public.”

Additionally, they remarked that they will be considering further avenues to defend the well-being of residents and the residential amenities of the locality. This is because, they state, the development would be blocking out sunlight as well as create traffic issues.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the group told TOM that it was “deeply satisfied” that the seven-year “process of intense media, procedural and legal scrutiny” had come to an end.

“The court handed down a sentence giving us the green light to deliver on our promise… Never has a project in Malta been subjected to this extent of evaluation,” the spokesperson said.

On the other hand, they added that the “arduous process” made the project “better and even more unique.”

“For this we, heartily thank everyone, even our harshest critics, for helping us reimagine, rethink and refine where necessary, making a very good thing even better,” the spokesperson commented.