Pembroke towers: After council U-turn, db Group insists it will stick to its plans

The db Group will not amend or withdraw the planning application to add more storeys to its towers project in Pembroke, despite the council now opposing the extension. 

“The db Group does not envisage any changes to the proposed application and we will wait for the planning process to take its course as per all applicable laws, regulations and policies,” a spokesperson for the company said. 

The latest application proposes 82 additional apartments at the mega-development, increasing the height of two towers from 17 and 18 storeys to 23 and 25 storeys, respectively. The Planning Authority’s directorate is recommending the application for approval. 

But last Thursday, a public hearing on the proposed application was suddenly postponed.  

The official reason given by the Planning Authority for the postponement was to ensure that eNGOs are represented on the board in the “sensitive” decisions that were due on the day. 

The justification is unprecedented, as the PA board has often taken decisions in the absence of the eNGO representative, who by law cannot be substituted when indisposed. 

When suspending the session, board chairman Emmanuel Camilleri justified the decision by saying that eNGO representative Romano Cassar could not attend as he was abroad, and that his appointment to the board had not yet been published in the Government Gazette. 

However, a few minutes earlier, the same board had no difficulty rejecting an application by Marco Gaffarena to build 14 warehouses on ODZ land in Kirkop even though Cassar was absent. 

The planning decision is now expected to be taken on 6 November but the postponement  followed a change of heart by the Labour-led Pembroke local council, which announced its intention to vote against the extension to the towers. 

The council had initially decided not to object while agreeing to db’s proposal for the company to fund a €3 million civic centre in the locality—a decision that angered residents. At a heated council meeting last summer, residents accused local councillors of bowing to pressure by not objecting to the application. 

The council had opposed all previous two applications presented by the db Group, although these were still approved. It is unclear whether the council’s U-turn reflects a change of heart by the government in the wake of increasing public opposition to controversial planning bills it wants to push through parliament. 

€3 million pledge still on – company spokesperson  

During the summer, council members unanimously agreed to approve an arrangement with the db Group to invest in several community projects. These include a community centre with a multipurpose hall, a library, a health clinic and childcare centre, as well as a garden with underground parking. 

During the local council meeting detailing the project, Labour mayor Kaylon Zammit said the council isn’t interested in taking on costly legal battles with the db Group.  

“The project has already been approved, several legal challenges were mounted by the council, and all were lost. A substantial portion of the development has already been completed,” he had said, justifying the council’s position to acquiesce to the company’s proposal. 

But despite the council changing its position, a company spokesperson said the €3 million pledge is still on.  

“db Group will certainly follow through on its promise to fund the €3 million community centre. This contribution was and remains intended in the best interests of the community and the country. It was never and still is not conditional on the council's support for our application,” a spokesperson confirmed.