Environmentalists fumed on Thursday as the Planning Authority board gave the go-ahead for a permit for excavations at Manoel Island even though an appeal over the development permit is still pending.

The appeal had been filed NGO Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) and Gzira residents.  

The Midi project features development of 650 luxury apartments, a five-star hotel, a new vehicle bridge and roundabout, an expanded marina for superyachts and extensive land reclamation works.

Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar described the PA decision as 'a travesty'.

It said that until a few years ago, the PA would never process a stand-alone permit for demolition or excavation that was not accompanied by a construction application, for fear that it would result in a hole in the ground as did the Gzira Metropolis project.

"With Thursday's decision, the Planning Authority is giving the message that the appeal process is nothing but a worthless sham, as it knows that the appeal will be rejected," the NGO said.  

It also observed that a call by the Superintendent of National Heritage for an underwater evaluation to assess the seabed archaeology has been ignored, even though archaeologists had also warned that Roman remains dating back two millenia, possibly the oldest human remains in the area, risked destruction if the project went through as planned.   

In a reaction, Midi said the application approved by the PA related solely to the excavation of the site and did not extend to the proposed dredging works.

"The dredging works are the subject of a separate application for which an underwater survey has been commissioned by Midi as required by the SCH," it said.