The Momentum Party has slammed the db Group鈥檚 attempt to build additional floors to its mega project on the former Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) site in Pembroke.
On Tuesday, MaltaToday reported that the company wants its proposed towers to increase in height from the approved 17 and 18 floors to 23 and 25 floors, respectively. If approved, these changes will result in an additional 82 apartments over and above the approved 162.
The site in Pembroke was transferred to db Group as part of a controversial land deal approved by parliament in 2017.
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On Wednesday, Momentum stated that after years of legal battles and public resistance, the db Group鈥檚 push for more floors 鈥渆xposes the relentless greed that fuels some of Malta鈥檚 most monstrous developments.鈥
The party said that the company鈥檚 excuse that the additional floors reflects unused floor area is an insult to those who fought against the project.
鈥淟et us be clear: the people of Pembroke and the Maltese public at large have already paid dearly in terms of lost public space, environmental degradation, and a permanent scar on our coastal landscape,鈥 the party stated.
Party chairperson Arnold Cassola described the company鈥檚 move as 鈥渂razen profiteering,鈥 adding that the db Group鈥檚 strategy was to chip away at opposition to the project little by little.
Momentum appealed to the Planning Authority to reject the application and remember the public opposition that came with the original project, as the party also called on the public and NGOs to voice their outrage against the decision by sending an email on [email protected].
鈥漈he future of our towns, our skylines, our coast, our beaches and our shared environment cannot be determined by the unchecked ambitions of single developers, only intent in amassing millions of profit for themselves. Enough is enough鈥, Cassola concluded.