The Planning Authority on Thursday granted approval for significant height extensions to the two DB Group towers, authorising the addition of seven and six floors, respectively.

With this decision, the towers will reach 25 and 23 storeys. The permit also raises the total number of residential units from the previously approved 179 to 231. The application was endorsed by eight board members, while two voted against it.

Those opposed were the ENGO representative, Romano Cassar, and Pembroke Mayor Kaylon Zammit. The chairman, Emmanuel Camilleri, stated that the proposal adheres to current planning policies.

Cassar reiterated earlier concerns about the visual impact of the development, noting that the effect was already considerable when the original permit was issued in 2022. He argued that the additional height would intensify the negative outcome. Nearly 400 objections were submitted by members of the public. Mayor Zammit also stressed that the extended development would worsen the burden on nearby residents.

Recent studies indicate that the enlarged towers will cast shadows over parts of Pembroke during the morning hours, specifically between 7 a.m. and noon in December and between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. in September. The approval is tied to a planning gain contribution of €369,375 to the Planning Authority's Planning Fund, earmarked for environmental enhancement projects within Pembroke.

Although the case officer had recommended approval, the board postponed its decision twice. The first delay was due to the temporary absence of the NGO representative, who had just been reappointed. The second arose after amended plans were submitted shortly before a scheduled meeting.

These revisions altered the internal layout of the apartments and reduced their number from 261 to 231, following a court ruling on the Sliema Townsquare project, which held that apartments in floor-area-ratio developments must have a minimum floor area of 150 square metres.

The postponements came amid a shift in stance by the Labour-led Pembroke local council, which ultimately decided to oppose the project after previously indicating it would not do so. During the most recent meeting, architect Anton Valentino, representing the Swieqi Local Council, questioned the project's traffic implications.

The earlier permit had relied on a governmental commitment to new transport infrastructure, then envisaged as a tunnel. Valentino noted that this proposal has since been abandoned.

In response, a representative of the Planning Directorate clarified that the obligation concerned transport infrastructure in general rather than the tunnel specifically. He added that, following the tunnel project's withdrawal, a new proposal for a flyover in Swieqi is currently undergoing preliminary screening.

db group statement

The Planning Authority today approved db Group's application for the additional floors of its St George's Bay development in St Julian's, the group said in a statement.

The decision was taken in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies, including the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) policy which governs medium and high-rise developments, the group said in a statement.

The FAR policy determines the permissible building volume and height based on site characteristics and planning parameters. This policy has been consistently applied to comparable projects across Malta, and the Authority was legally obliged to apply it in this case as well.

Last month, the db Group revised its plans, reducing the number of apartments from 82 to 60, with each residence exceeding 150sqm.

The St George's Bay project, comprising the hotel, mall, and residences, represents an investment of approximately €340 million in the Maltese economy, excluding multiplier effects and tax contributions. The development will generate hundreds of high-quality jobs across the board.

The vast majority of the residences have already been sold, with most buyers being Maltese citizens. db Group looks forward to completing the project next year, contributing to Malta's national ambition of attracting quality tourism and delivering world-class visitor experiences.

db Group said it remains committed to being a responsible neighbour and an active contributor to the Pembroke and St Julian's communities. Every effort has been made to minimise inconvenience during construction, and the Group continues to engage openly with residents and local authorities to ensure the project's positive legacy.

ADPD statement

"We are not surprised by the Planning Authority's latest decision to allow db Group to add seven extra floors to the St George's Bay towers," ADPD chairperson Sandra Gauci said.

The decision fits squarely with the government's emphasis on speculation, and savage overdevelopment to favour the few over the many. It fits squarely with Robert Ablea's and his government's Vision 2050 based on limitless growth and speculation."

The project's original permit was already mired in controversy, legal battles and repeated community objections, she added. After years in which the developer was forced to scale down its initial plans, this green light for a major vertical expansion is nothing short of a betrayal of residents and the public interest.

Allowing the towers to rise to 23 and 25 storeys in an area already bursting at the seams shows once again that planning policy in Malta is being bent to favour the powerful mega-rich over the community, she added.

This approval will further intensify congestion, overshadow surrounding neighbourhoods and accelerate the ongoing commercial takeover of our coastline. Communities have been taken for a ride. Every "compromise" demanded from db over the years has now been shamelessly reversed.

The public deserves transparency, accountability and a planning system that protects our shared spaces, not one that rewards speculative excess. We will continue to stand with residents to challenge decisions that place private profit above Malta's quality of life, she said.

Momentum statement

Despite nearly 400 objections and despite strong concerns about visual impact, shadowing on homes, and increased traffic, the Planning Authority still chose to give the green light to further intensification of this already controversial project, Momentum said. This raises the question of how a mega-development of this scale can be allowed to grow even further when the fundamental concerns raised years ago have never been resolved.

Arnold Cassola, Leader of Momentum, said: "This latest permit increases the towers to 25 and 23 storeys, raising the number of apartments from 179 to 231. The development will cast longer shadows over Pembroke residences during winter mornings and intensify pressures on the area's already fragile infrastructure. What makes today's decision even more unacceptable is the clear contradiction between DB Group's public promises and its actions. Five years ago, DB had stated that it had "listened and acted" when it reduced the tower height. Today's decision shows the opposite. The project is once again climbing higher, proving that the earlier gesture was nothing more than a temporary concession to ease public pressure."

Momentum noted that it is regrettable that both the Government and the Opposition have remained silent on this latest intensification, choosing not to stand with the community and allowing a decision that goes against the will of the people. Momentum stands firmly with the Pembroke, St Julian's and Swieqi communities, who have once again been ignored. Residents deserve transparency, respect, and a planning system that listens to people and not one that accommodates speculative expansions every time a permit is issued.