Planning Authority boss ‘intervened in favour of developer’, FAA claims

Planning Authority CEO Johann Buttigieg used his planning board seat to defend a developer’s “abusive application” for an eight-storey hotel in Gzira, environmental NGO Flimkien Ghal Ahjar alleged.

In a statment, the eNGO said it was “disgusted” and “appalled” by Buttigieg’s behaviour during the hearing for a hotel application by Michael Stivala, claiming that this was “not the first time” that the MEPA CEO had leapt to the defence of developers.

Stivala, who also serves as the Malta Development Association’s general secretary, is seeking permission to double the height of the four-storey Blubay Hotel & Apartments in Gzira, through what the FAA claim are a series of “piecemeal applications.”

The NGO claimed that during the board meeting, Buttigieg defended Stivala’s defence when the applicants was asked why his application had not catered for more parking, but had instead sought to remove two of the existing spaces.

At this moment, Buttigieg is alleged to have intervened and said: “Are the parking facilities on site even used?”

It claimed that when the Planning Board noted that local plans for the area only allowed for hostels rather hotels, the Planning Authority’s CEO intervened by saying that “there are many hotels built in areas which are not designated for hotels.”

"When asked by a fellow board member if he thought it was a good thing, the CEO rebutted, 'No, just stating it'," the FAA said. It said that Buttigieg subsequently implied that the Planning Authority can treat hotels as hostels and hostels as hotels, despite their different impacts and different policies.

The FAA argued that the application should have never been heard by the Planning Board in its first place, which usually concerns with large-scale projects that entail more scrutiny.

“Contrary to the norm and procedure, the applicant, Michael Stivala, asked if his application could be heard in front of the Planning Board … A hearing in front of the Planning Board ensures the presence of Johann Buttigieg,” it said.