Decision on db towers deferred once again

The Planning Authority has once again deferred its decision on the addition of seven and six floors to the already approved db Group towers, which, if endorsed, will rise to 25 and 23 floors respectively. 

If approved, the new permit will increase the number of apartments from 179 to a total of 231.

The postponement was justified because a set of new documents were not made available to the public following a reduction in the number of apartments in the wake of a court decision on another high-rise project. 

Last time round, the decision was deferred by three weeks because the eNGO representative’s appointment had not yet been published in the government gazette with the board chairman insisting that “sensitive” decisions that were due yesterday. 

The first postponement came in the wake of a change of heart by the Labour-led Pembroke local council which ultimately opted to oppose the project after initially signalling its intention not to vote against it. 

READ ALSO | Pembroke residents choke under db Group’s rising towers

Today’s postponement came days after the government announced its decision to turn the White Rocks area in Pembroke into a national park.

The total number of apartments was reduced from 261 to 231 following the court decision on the Sliema Townsquare project which stipulated that apartments in a development approved under the floor area ration should have a minimum area of 150 sq.m. 

Despite the reduction in the number of apartments, the proposed height has remained the same. 

Chief Executive Johann Buttigieg explained that while the plans outlining the changes have been submitted in time, a number of other documents still have to be made available to the public. 

The PA’s Development Management Directorate is recommending approval arguing that despite the additions, the project’s floor area is still in conformity with the Floor Area Ratio policy. 

In his brief intervention, Board Chairman Emmanuel Camilleri insisted that the application conforms with existing policies but asked whether the latest changes after the EPRT decision on Townsquare have been submitted in the legal timeframe. 

Traffic concerns raised by Swieqi council

This question prompted the postponement. Earlier during the meeting, architect Anton Valentino on behalf of the Swieqi Local Council pointed out that the previous permit was issued on condition of a letter of commitment by the government for a new transport infrastructure system which at that time took the form 0f a tunnel. He noted that this upgrade was abandoned. 

“Technically, even the current building is not in line with the permit, let alone the new development. This is a big headache for Swieqi residents.” The Planning Directorate representative replied that the letter of commitment did not specifically refer to the tunnel but to transport infrastructure in general. He also pointed out that following the withdrawal of the tunnel application, a new application (involving a flyover in Swieqi) is at screening stage. Valentino replied, insisting that no new transport infrastructure has been approved since the project approval. “You cannot continue increasing the size of the development in the absence of any infrastructural upgrade.” 

Suzanne Zahra, a Pembroke resident, made an impassioned speech highlighting the negative impact of the project on the residents in the area. When she referred to the building as a "pastażata," especially when seen from the beach, one the PA chairman asked her to make reference to a specific policy. Perit Valentino intervened by quoting the PA’s own mission statement, which is to improve quality of life. 

Nearly 400 people had objected to the additional floors. Studies submitted in the past months indicate that the towers will cast shadows on neighbouring residences in Pembroke between 7:00am and noon in December, and between 7:00am and 10:00am in September. The permission is subject to a planning gain of €369,375 towards the Planning Authority’s Planning Fund. The funds are to be used for environmental improvement projects in Pembroke.