ERA gives clearance for DB project

The DB Group’s City Centre’s project, now consisting of two 17 storey towers and a 12-storey hotel, has been given the clearance of the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) board.

ERA chairman Victor Axiak had already voted for the project in 2018 when the project consisted of a 38 storey tower and a 17 storey high hotel.   

Axiak, who is now facing calls for resignation by Environmental NGOs, had justified his vote by saying that all the conditions proposed by  ERA were included in the permit.

The permit was later revoked by the law courts due to a conflict of interest of former board member Matthew Pace who was involved in the real estate business. Subsequently DB group twice presented new plans downscaling the project; first reducing height of tower to 31 storeys and then to 17 storeys.

In its assessments ERA’s remit is limited to ecological and air quality issues and does not take in to account other issues like visual impact and the social impact on neighbouring communities.

Having secured ERA’s go ahead, the revised mega-project in Pembroke still needs approval from the  Planning Authority before it can go ahead. 

The only other entity represented on the Planning  board which has pronounced itself was the Pembroke Local Council, which is still opposed to the project which it claims is out of scale with the area.  Environmental NGOs have also reiterated their opposition to the project.

The ERA's final assessment of the project will now be submitted to the PA to be taken into consideration when deciding on the project's revised development application.

The ERA said that it had requested an environmental planning statement and other appropriate assessments of the original plans. These were sent for revision once the proposal was downscaled.

An assessment of the updated documentation led the ERA directorate to conclude that the level of significance of environmental impacts caused by the mega-project would remain unchanged.

ERA said that its findings from its original environmental impact assessment and appropriate assessments were therefore still valid. 

ERA’s final report still expresses concern relating to the impact on Ħarq il-Ħammiem cave as well as infrastructure, air quality and effects on the neighbouring Special Area of Conservation (SAC). In its press release ERA made no reference to a proposed tunnel passing under the SAC linking the project to Paceville.

To address its concerns ERA is proposing that mitigation measures including those proposed by Geo-Technical Engineers in their reports on the cave, are included as conditions to the development permit.