Opinion: The developers’ friend at the Planning Authority

Martin Camilleri is a central figure at the Planning Authority.  He’s a member of the executive council.  He was deputy chairperson of the Planning Board.  He’s the Chairperson of the Planning Commission for ODZ (outside development zones) and UCA (urban conservation areas). So why does he keep making such a fool of himself?

Why does the court keep rebuking him for his “absurd” decisions in favour of developers? How is it even possible that Camilleri keeps getting the most obvious and basic decisions wrong to the developers’ advantage?

What’s more pertinent is why hasn’t Planning Minister Clint Camilleri sacked Martin Camilleri for repeatedly failing to protect the interests of the people?

In his latest gaffe, Martin Camilleri approved an application for the addition of six floors above the four-storey Category A historical Ramel building built in the early part of the 20th century, probably on the design of Giuseppe Cachia Caruana in an Urban Conservation Area in Sliema. 

The Court ruled the proposed development at a landmark building in Sliema “should not even have been considered”.

The regulations clearly state, “No additional floors will be allowed over the existing category A properties”.  Which part of “no additional floors” does Camilleri not understand?

Thankfully, the Court revoked Camilleri’s obscene decision.

“The ban on additional floors is not simply a suggestion but an order imposed by the legislator,” the Court declared.  We owe the preservation of that building to Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA), whose members battled Camilleri’s shameful approval.

Camilleri has a catalogue of such obscene decisions. His name keeps cropping up whenever scandalous applications are approved.  He’s gaining notoriety for taking the side of developers even in the face of rigid regulations preventing those developments.

Why Minister Clint Camilleri refuses to sack him may be explained by Martin Camilleri’s decision about an application lodged by Ronnie Camilleri, the minister’s cousin and driver.

Ronnie Camilleri applied to build a “garage” on ODZ land overlooking the scenic Ramla Bay.

Unsurprisingly, the application drew vociferous objections from residents, NGOs and even the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), which described his application as a “non-starter”.

Ronnie Camilleri wanted to tile over the area around his 200-metre square ‘garage’ with plenty of windows and doors.  He also wanted to turn a patch of land into a garden and build a “reservoir” that looked remarkably like a swimming pool. And a boundary wall to stop prying eyes.

But despite ERA’s objections and the application breaching several ODZ regulations, Martin Camilleri did not agree with a “refuse recommendation”.  He made that odd decision two days after Minister Clint Camilleri was handed the planning portfolio.

It’s not just the minister’s cousin that Martin Camilleri sought to please.  He also approved the sanctioning of 13 years of illegalities at the Aria Club complex in Iklin after the owner handed the brief to government apologist Robert Musumeci. That application was recommended for refusal by the planning directorate, but Martin Camilleri approved it.  The owners get to keep their illegal structures, and Musumeci pockets his handsome fee.

Martin Camilleri was also the chairman who “bent over backwards” to accommodate business tycoon Joseph Portelli.  He bizarrely granted Portelli permission to build a massive swimming pool on protected ODZ land in a green valley in Xagħra.  The case officer twice recommended refusal. But Martin Camilleri leapt to Portelli’s defence, claiming that the proposal “was in the spirit of Gozo’s local plan”.

The same Martin Camilleri approved an application for the development of a villa on ODZ land on the scenic Gelmus hillside in Victoria, Gozo, in June 2023 despite opposition.  The Planning directorate recommended refusal.  But Camilleri deferred the decision five times to give the developer more time to provide new evidence.

Finally, Camilleri approved the application even though no new evidence was provided.  The documents supplied by the developer had been considered insufficient by both the Planning Directorate and the Agricultural Advisory Council. But Camilleri again trampled all over the environmental regulations meant to prevent unnecessary overdevelopment.

Martin Camilleri is also single-handedly responsible for the approval of the monstrous DB project over the former ITS site.  When it came to the final decision, five out of 11 members of the board recused themselves. The remaining six members voted three for and three against.  Martin Camilleri, as chairman, had the casting vote – and he voted in favour of DB.

Camilleri got a damning rebuke from the Chief Justice for his approval of Joseph Portelli’s development in Hal-Wardija, Qala.  Camilleri approved the development of two large swimming pools and gardens over 10,000 square metres of ODZ land. The Court ruled that the Planning Commission headed by Camilleri should never have approved that permit.

It pointed out that local plans were crystal clear – no pools could be built on that ODZ land.  Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti labelled the permit “illegal” and “absurd”.

These are not errors.  If they had been, Martin Camilleri would have been clearly incompetent in his various roles at the Planning Authority and should have been sacked.  But the pattern of outrageous decisions Camilleri took points to something far worse.

The repeated condemnation of his decisions by the courts ought to trigger an investigation. Those developers benefitting from Camilleri’s perverted decisions stand to make millions in profits.  That alone should have alerted investigative authorities to act.

It should certainly have forced Minister Clint Camilleri’s hand.  The fact that it hasn’t raised even more concerns.