NGOs rally residents for second DB City Centre decision at Planning Authority

NGOs and residents expressed their indignation at the Planning Authority’s indifference towards thousands of objectors to the DB Group’s  Pembroke tourism development, after the planning directorate’s go-ahead will be discussed by the PA’s Planning Board on Thursday 10 June.

The organisations are urging people to attend the Planning Board sitting on Thursday at 10am and make their submissions against the project by registering from here.

“In 2018, the developer brought his workers to intervene during the meeting in order to fake support for a project that has been opposed by everyone. Thus, it is important that people participate in the sitting and show their anger at the construction of DB’s monster,” the NGOs said.

The organisations submitted to the PA their representations to the case officer’s report stating that the recommendation for approval totally ignores the concerns raised by the Pembroke, Swieqi and St. Julian’s local councils, as well as by many organisations and a record number of objectors.

The DB’s proposed development on formerly public land is composed of two residential towers of 17 and 18 storeys each, and a hotel of 12 storeys. These would rise literally across the road of a large residential area in Pembroke and next to two Natura 2000 sites.

The project would also be built around and on top of the scheduled St. George’s barracks and the scheduled Għar Ħarq il-Ħamiem cave, a submerged terrestrial cave system of unique geological and ecological value, as well as other sites of historical significance.

Residents have repeatedly expressed their alarm about the massiveness and intensity of this disproportionate development in a predominantly residential area and the foreseen spillover of Paceville into Pembroke.

The organisations questioned the point of the PA carrying out a consultation process if the feedback given, in this case a strong opposition to this project from all quarters, is so easily shrugged off.

They had filed an appeal against the approval of the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), accusing it of being a flawed, unsubstantiated and incomplete assessment. “For example, the EIA considers the excavation of a tunnel under a Natura 2000 site, which is not included in the application, as a mitigating factor, but refuses to consider the negative environmental impacts of the tunnel,” the NGOs said.

“The organisations, together with Local Councils and thousands of objectors, are fully determined to continue opposing this horrendous project which will leave a massive negative impact on the social, urban and environmental contexts, now and for generations to come.”

The NGOs are ACT, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Moviment Graffitti, Ramblers Association of Malta, Rota, Sustainable Build Environment Malta, and Żminijietna – Voice of the Left.