The Planning Authority has denied claims by environment NGO  Flimkien Għall-Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) that PA executive chairman Johann Buttigieg defended a hotel developer at a public hearing last week.

It said that the FAA in its statement chose to select and quote out of context what was said during the discussion related to a planning application for the extension of a hotel in Gzira.

"The Authority would like to clarify that while the Executive Chairperson does not have a voting right on the Planning Board it is his duty, according to law, to give advice to the board on matters that are being discussed by the same board," the PA said. 

"The executive chairperson during the discussion drew the attention of the board that the applicant had two main options to consider: the first option was to revert the use of the hotel back to a hostel and therefore retain the existing building height. With this option, the board could consider granting planning permission for the change of use of the adjoining property from a residence into a hostel which would serve as an extension to the existing hostel.

"The second option was to retain use as a hotel and extend vertically to include the additional floors permitted for hotel development, and to remove the proposed lateral extension of the hotel. Any additional floors had to include setbacks and other mitigation measures to avoid blank party walls," the PA said.

The board deferred this planning application and gave the applicant the chance to consider whether to amend, withdraw or retain the planning application proposal.