A parliamentary petition has been filed against a 12-storey complex planned to replace the former Mistra village site in Xemxija after excavation works began weeks before a court is to decide on the permit appeal.

In their petition, residents are requesting a review of the permit given and asking that the works stop until the result of the case at the Court of Appeals is announced on 10 May.

The planned development is a 12-storey high-rise complex consisting of 744 units on Xemxija ridge. It had been approved in 2013 but was left in limbo after the Ombudsman concluded that the Planning Authority had been wrong to approve the permit.

The developer applied to renew the permit in 2018 for a further five years, with the PA approving the application in February 2019.

Residents had filed an appeal with the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal, but the tribunal confirmed the project’s permit renewal.

Residents went on to file a case in court over the permit.

Photo: Ivan Castillo/Facebook