Appeal filed against DB group project in Pembroke

Three Local Councils, nine organisations and several Pembroke residents have filed an appeal with the Planning Tribunal against the Planning Board’s decision to give the go-ahead to the DB Group’s project on the former ITS site.

The appellants are requesting the annulment of the PA decision allowing the db Group to build two 18- and 17-storey towers and a 12-storey hotel, on public land in Pembroke.

Last June, Environmental NGOs launched a crowdfunding initiative to file legal action against the Planning Authority board’s green-lighting of the DB project at St George’s Bay.

Despite objections from three local councils and some 30,000 residents, the DB project was approved by just four votes to three in the PA board.

The appellants cited a number of reasons as to why the development should not continue, including the project’s non-conformity with many planning policies, the defective and incomplete studies submitted by the developer and a “manipulated process” leading to an unfair PA meeting and decision.

“The strong public response to the recent crowdfunding campaign will once again enable the appellants to take the full range of possible legal actions aimed at the revocation of the DB permit,” a Moviment Graffitti statement read.

Another appeal challenging the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) decision to approve the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the db project is also underway.

“We commit ourselves to making every possible effort to stop big business and public authorities from running roughshod over the people’s will to protect its environment and quality of life,” the statement read.

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