NGOs and communities file further lawsuits against db Group project

Two new lawsuits have been filed against the db Group project on the ex-ITS site in Pembroke by residents, NGOs and three local councils. 

Legal expenses for the law suits were covered thanks to a crowd-funding initiative which collected more than €26,000. 

The lawsuits seek "a transparent and sustainable resolution regarding a list of legal issues which have remained unresolved", the appellants said in a statement.

The local councils involved in the lawsuit are those of Pembroke, St Julian’s, and Swieqi. They were joined by Moviment Graffitti, Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Din l-Art Helwa and Friends of the Earth Malta as well as nine individual residents.

“Whilst the Tribunal ruled in the appellants’ favour on a number of important points, it also rejected a number of valid arguments which are crucial to the health and wellbeing of the community and the infrastructure's capacity to support intensive development of this sort,” Graffitti said.

The appellants are insisting that the issuing of the permit by the Planning Authority went against Maltese law since the process did not follow the principle of natural justice and relevant legal procedures. 

"We are committed to continue fighting this unsustainable and over-intensive project as long as necessary. The attitude of ‘Build first and cope with the fall-out later’ must stop,” the statement read.