Portelli seizing public land to resurrect court-rejected development plans: Graffitti

Updated on Sunday at 2:54pm with Excel Group statement

Moviment Graffitti has claims developer Joseph Portelli is attempting to seize public land to resurrect previously court-rejected development plans.

"Today we showed how Joseph Portelli is now seeking to take over a public path so that the Planning Authority (PA) can re-issue the permits for the illegal pools," the activist group stated during a livestreamed site visit this morning.

The controversy centres around a planning control application which seeks to eliminate part of a pedestrian footpath separating the apartment block from two swimming pools. 

Graffitti claims this footpath has been used by local farmers for decades, and its removal would effectively allow Portelli and his business partners to take over public land.

The Sannat development has been a source of contention since its inception, with critics highlighting how Portelli and his business partner Mark Agius strategically divided the project into four separate planning applications. 

Opponents claim this was a tactic to secure approval for a massive development by presenting it in smaller, seemingly less impactful segments.

“Last Monday, we issued a video showing how hundreds of apartments, and ODZ pools, were built without definitive permits in hand. After the organisations’ legal appeals, substantial parts of this project, including the ODZ pools, were struck down by court,” the activist group explained in their statement.

While the Planning Authority initially approved all four applications—including permission for swimming pools on ODZ land, objectors successfully challenged these decisions in court. 

Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti ultimately ruled that both the swimming pools and a penthouse floor were illegal, revoking their permits.

Graffitti has used this case to highlight broader systemic issues, noting that "the Sannat project would not have been fully built, had a government promise to halt projects while they are being appealed been brought into force."

The activist group has now called for public assistance, urging anyone who objected to the planning control application between December and January to contact them. 

"Unfortunately, we did not make it in time to object to this application. But others did. We encourage them to contact us, so we can follow and fight this capture of public land," Graffitti stated.

Excel Group says it gave farmers rights to use footpath

In response to the statement, Portelli's Excel Group said that the footpath had been bought by them for some time.

They noted that they guaranteed access to farmers who held previous rights to use the footpath.

"No special rights have been given to Excel Group for this project. Neighboring projects all enjoy the same rights and height limitations,” the company concluded.