Amicable deal ends Lidl–CBC row over Żebbuġ project

LIDL and Central Business Centres (CBC) have reached “an amicable agreement” over the redevelopment of the former Cortis Woodworks site in Żebbuġ.

In a company statement, CBC said this agreement officially closes the dispute connected to the completion and delivery of part of the Żebbuġ site.

In December, CBC had frozen an undisclosed sum provided by Lidl in the form of a bank guarantee, saying that the retailer had failed to hand over part of the Żebbuġ site as agreed.

The dispute stemmed from an emphyteutical deed signed in 2017, which allowed Lidl to redevelop the former woodworks factory into a supermarket.

As part of the agreement, Lidl was also obliged to construct an underground level for CBC. That level was originally expected to be completed by the end of the third quarter of 2025.

The two parties later reached a partial agreement whereby Lidl would extend the works bank guarantee for an additional period to allow sufficient time to complete the outstanding works and hand over the Żebbuġ property to CBC in line with the terms of the original deed.