PA approves seven extra floors on DB’s Pembroke towers

The Planning Authority has approved the addition of seven and six floors, respectively, to the already approved DB Group towers.

The towers will rise to 25 and 23 floors. The decision comes after the application was twice postponed in recent months. The new permit will increase the number of apartments from 179 to 231.

The application was approved by eight votes to two, with ENGO representative Romano Cassar and Pembroke Mayor Kaylon Zammit voting against. Chairman Emmanuel Camilleri noted that the application conforms to existing policies.

Romano Cassar opposed the application, arguing that the visual impact, which was already negative when the project was approved in 2022, will only be worsened. Nearly 400 people had objected to the additional floors.

Mayor Zammit also maintained that the proposal would increase the negative impact on residents.

Studies submitted in recent months indicate that the towers will cast shadows on neighbouring residences in Pembroke between 7am and noon in December, and between 7am and 10am in September.

The permit is subject to a planning gain of €369,375 towards the Planning Authority’s Planning Fund, which will be used for environmental improvement projects in Pembroke.

The application had been recommended for approval by the case officer. However, the decision was twice postponed—first due to the absence of the NGO representative who had just been reappointed, and then because changes to the plans were presented on the eve of the meeting.

The changes involved a redesign of the apartments, reducing the total from 261 to 231, following a court decision on the Sliema Townsquare project, which stipulated that apartments in developments approved under the floor area ratio must have a minimum area of 150sq.m.

The postponements followed a change of heart by the Labour-led Pembroke local council, which ultimately opted to oppose the project after initially indicating it would not vote against it.

At the last meeting, architect Anton Valentino, representing the Swieqi Local Council, raised questions about the traffic impact of the project.

The previous permit had been issued on condition of a government commitment to a new transport infrastructure system, which at the time was envisioned as a tunnel. Valentino noted that this project had been abandoned.

A Planning Directorate representative responded that the commitment referred to transport infrastructure in general, not specifically the tunnel.

He also noted that following the withdrawal of the tunnel application, a new proposal involving a flyover in Swieqi is currently at the screening stage.

DB Group, mayor react

In a statement, the DB Group said the decision was taken in accordance with “all applicable laws, regulations, and policies,” including the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) policy, which governs medium- and high-rise developments. The Group also confirmed that “the vast majority of the residences have already been sold, with most buyers being Maltese citizens.”

The DB Group said it looks forward to completing the project next year.

On his part, Pembroke Mayor Kaylon Zammit who during the meeting voted against the seven-storey extension, took to facebook to explain his vote. He insisted that the DB project in its entirety should not have been allowed in the first place. He also pointed out that his vote against the project reflected the will of Pembroke residents who oppose it.

But he also reiterated his commitment to continue pressing for financial compensation for the community. He compared his efforts to secure compensation from the DB Group to his “pressure” to ward off development on the White Rocks site, which was recently declared a public park by the government.

The project was first approved in 2019 when it consisted of a 12-storey hotel and a 38-storey tower.  But the permit was later revoked by the law courts and was reapproved in 2021 with the 38-storey tower being replace by two 17 storey towers, only to file an application to increase the height of the tower by seven storeys four years later.