Prime Minister accused of allowing developers to undermine Malta’s planning system

In a protest on Saturday, a coalition of environmental NGOs and resident groups accused Prime Minister Robert Abela of enabling developers to manipulate Malta’s planning and justice system.

They condemned the Planning Authority (PA) for approving illegal developments, highlighting a recent contentious case in Sannat involving developer Joseph Portelli.

The uproar centres around the PA’s recent approval of a development permit in Sannat (PA/03869/24), despite a Court of Appeal decision in March that revoked the original permit due to policy violations.

This case, and three others linked to Portelli, where permits were similarly revoked, have sparked outrage. The additional cases involve ODZ pools in Qala (PA/05223/24) and two other developments in Sannat (PA/05625/24 and PA/05626/24), which are still pending sanctioning.

Andre Callus, activist with Moviment Graffitti, accused the PA of endorsing fraudulent applications. “The Planning Authority processed and approved applications that are essentially fraudulent. We believe this reflects a broader issue of political complicity. The prime minister might face legal consequences for this misconduct in the future,” Ellul said.

Patrick Calleja, President of Din l-Art Ħelwa, said: “For the recent application PA/3869/24, which sanctions penthouses in Sannat, the original permit PA 2035/21 was revoked in March. Yet, the PA reissued permits for these penthouses, contrary to the Court of Appeal’s decision. This disregard undermines our democratic system.”

The press conference, held outside Castille, saw various speakers criticise the planning system, alleging it is skewed in favour of developers. The coalition demanded that the prime minister revoke the Sannat permit (PA/3869/24) and reform the planning appeals law.

This law permits developers to proceed with construction while appeals are pending, a loophole that allows illegal structures to remain even after court rulings.

Luke Said, Deputy Chair of Għawdix and Din l-Art Ħelwa – Għawdex and Wirt, highlighted the absurdity of the situation: “The building continued while the appeal was in process. This is absurd. We are determined to fight for the right to shape our environment.”

Astrid Vella from Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar called attention to the urgency of the situation: “This challenge affects Malta’s planning, legal, and international systems. The Planning Authority holds significant responsibilities that it must address.”

The coalition concluded the press conference with a call to action. They demanded the PA halt the processing of applications for developments whose permits had been revoked by the Court. They warned that continued approval of such developments could lead to the collapse of Malta’s planning and judicial systems, depriving the public of their right to contest illegal projects.

Representatives from various organisations, including BirdLife Malta, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Għawdix, Moviment Graffitti, Nature Trust Malta, and Wirt Għawdex, united in their push for urgent reform.