The government’s representative on the Planning Authority board has defend his vote in favour of a controversial decision to turn a derelict Qala room into a sprawling villa.  

Clayton Bartolo took to Facebook on Friday, insisting that his thumbs-up for the plans had been based on “established policies”.  

“After taking note of a number of comments on yesterday’s (Thursday’s) vote, I want to confirm that I voted in line with existing policies,” he wrote.    

This derelict room on Outside Development Zone land will be turned into a massive villa in Qala.

In a vote on Thursday, the Planning Authority overturned a recommendation not to approve the controversial development.

There have been particular questions around why the government appointed representative, Clayton Bartolo, was among those who voted in favour, with Labour members and heavyweights slamming the project’s approval. 

Mr Bartolo said that it was not his job to decide whether planning policies should change, and he was bound to follow policies in place. 

He insisted that for every vote he had every taken part in at the PA, he had always followed the policies “in vigore”.  

Under existing PA rules, both the government and the Opposition can nominate a member to represent them on the PA board. 

Earlier this week, the PN's representative on the PA board, Marthese Portelli, argued that this system has failed and that MPs should not be involved in ruling on development applications.