Ten organisations have objected once again to the db Group’s project on the ex-ITS site, insisting that the government is “deaf” to people’s concerns.

The organisations say that the new plans do not address the main concerns pf the project, which is a development in a predominantly residential area adjacent to two Natura 2000 sites.

“Although the new plans are being portrayed as a downscaling of the initial plans, there are in fact only minimal changes to the project’s overall volume. The applicant now proposes building two towers instead of one, adding three residential floors to those in the previous plans.”

They said that the volume of activity it will generate in the area of Pembroke, Swieqi and St Julian’s, as well as the spillover of Paceville into Pembroke, will be unsustainable and will degrade the quality of life for thousands of residents and visitors of the impacted localities.

Moreover, the infrastructure in the area is currently unsuitable for a development of this scale and relies on a separate proposal of a tunnel leading to the development.

“It is inconceivable that a private project with a negative impact of this scale is being proposed on public land, in a case where the Auditor General found multiple irregularities in its transfer to the db Group.”

The project has so far attracted a record amount of objections – 15,000 objections over the previous three objection periods.

“The fact that the Government seems deaf to this unprecedented outcry speaks volumes. The only sensible way forward is the definitive withdrawal of plans for such an overwhelming development in this residential area,” they said.

The organisations who signed the statement are:

1.     BirdLife Malta
2.     Din l-Art Ħelwa
3.     Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
4.     Friends of the Earth Malta
5.     Green House
6.     Moviment Graffitti
7.     Nature Trust Malta
8.     Rota
9.     Sustainable Built Environment Malta
10. The Archaeological Society Malta

The public can still object with the Planning Authority to the db Group’s project through this form until this Friday 12th February.