Updated 1.20pm, adds Pembroke mayor's reaction

Activists who led the battle against a massive development at the site of the former ITS complex in Pembroke are disappointed that a court has given the project the go-ahead, but maintain that the fight isn’t over yet. 

In a judgement on Wednesday, Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti quashed an appeal by the project’s objectors, effectively legitimising a Planning Authority permit granted to db Group. 

Activist groups, Pembroke residents and local councils have spent years trying to prevent the site from being transformed into a shopping mall, hotel and residence complex spread across three separate towers. 

A digital render of the proposed project. Photo courtesy of db Group

Speaking to Times of Malta, Movement Graffiti activist Andre Callus said that while the court verdict was immensely disappointing, objectors have not given up and will explore other ways to continue fighting the permit. 

“It’s a very disappointing outcome and I feel for the residents who will be impacted by this monstrosity, It's really going to bury them,” he said. 

“That being said, I think what they did and the fight they put up has a lot of value. I think what these residents did rekindled the fire of an activist movement against overdevelopment, and that is something that cannot be taken away.” 

Photo: Jonathan Borg

“It is clear that this was yet another case of bowing to big businesses and allowing them to make a profit at the expense of the community at large,” Callus added. 

“The government must answer for what it has done when this project starts to negatively impact people’s quality of life.” 

Objectors, he said, are currently exploring legal alternatives to continue fighting the permit. 

“As we said in Saturday’s protest, sometimes they win, but it doesn’t mean that we stop fighting.” 

Rita Zammit, one of the residents who signed the appeal, said that this development will leave an irrevocable impact on the residents of Pembroke. 

“I’m very disappointed and angry. We tried to stop this lunacy, it is an invasion of a residential area that is already overloaded with enough buildings,” she said. 

“This project will accommodate the wealthy and leave us residents buried alive. Our lives will change forever and it is very unfair.” 

Photo: Jonathan Borg

A spokesperson for db Group said that the company was pleased that the “truth had finally prevailed”. 

"db Group welcomes today's court verdict which brings an end to eight years of scrutiny by various courts, tribunals and authorities. This has been one of the most scrutinised projects in local history, and the truth has finally prevailed. We now look forward to delivering this world-class project," the spokesperson said. 

Pembroke Mayor Dean Hili said it was doubly disappointing knowing how many residents had placed their faith in objectors to fight the development. 

“I'm obviously devastated and while not entirely shocked by the outcome we're cautiously hopeful that the arguments brought forward were sensible. It is particularly hard to take because we know the hopes of many were resting on our shoulders and we did our best to represent them as best we can.”

Despite this, Hili said that the experience still produced a lot of value in building community activism and should not discourage others from taking up the mantle.” 

Hili said that while the council would be taking the time to assess the judgement in its entirety, he still believes that important questions about how the “monstrosity” will be able to function in this “chaotic context” have not been answered. 

“This is what continues to worry me personally and I'm sure many residents, besides the obvious concerns regarding the years of inconvenience ahead of us,” he said. 

“The visual impact in an area characterised by two-storey buildings is going to be massive. Of course, the problem with having a massive building isn't just the aesthetics which are obviously subjective - some people like huge buildings, but I don't know anyone who enjoys having their dwelling in the semi-permanent shade, a problem that could further be exasperated by the Villa Rosa project which is now being debated,” he said.