Il-Gigu splits illegal development to circumvent court decision

Gozitan Developer Francesco Grima, better known as Il-Gigu, has split an illegally built block of apartments in Xewkija, Gozo into three separate planning applications in an apparent attempt to defy a court ruling declaring it illegal.

Investigations by The Shift show that il-Gigu presented two new applications to the Planning Authority, claiming to act on behalf of apartment owners who bought illegally built flats from him.

In splitting the 21-apartment block into three, il-Gigu presented PA01155/25 and PA01133/25 to sanction two blocks of apartments “as built.”

At the end of last year, il-Gigu, filed PA07954/24 through one of his employees, James Zammit, covering the other third of his illegal development (Blk A) as well as sanctioning the illicit development struck down by the court in 2023.

All three new applications are fronted by Architect Alexander Bigeni, a relative of Planning Minister Clint Camilleri. The minister denies having any business relations with il-Gigu or Bigeni.

The Court of Appeal struck down the original permit issued by the PA in 2021, declaring the development illegal and against the local plan, but it did not issue an enforcement order obliging the developer to take down this illegal development.

The PA has not yet decided on any of Grima’s new applications.

Multiple objections have already been filed against one of the new applications, with one calling it “surreal” and an attempt to defy a decision by the country’s highest court.

The Mulberry Affair

The illegal building dates back to 2020, when il-Gigu applied to develop a residential block called Mulberry Court on a large plot of land in Xewkija.

The PA issued the permit against its directorate’s recommendation, despite objections from neighbours and NGOs and a clear indication by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage that the permit could not proceed.

The local plan clearly states that the area can only accommodate three-storey buildings. Il-Gigu applied to build five storeys anyway and obtained a permit.

An appeal was immediately filed against it, but Grima continued his development, completing the building three years later.

Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti made it clear that the building was illegal and went against planning rules, and he revoked the permit as if it never existed.

Grima has been involved in several dubious development projects and regularly receives direct orders from the Gozo Ministry.

Most recently, he became the prime mover in the redevelopment of Fort Chambray, agreeing to buy the public concession from Michael Caruana, known as il-Billi, together with a group of other businessmen.

They have agreed to develop the Knights’ era fort into more flats and a hotel. Both sides of Parliament approved the transfer of the concession, which includes dismantling the historic British barracks — the only ones built during British rule in Gozo.