DB Group Applies To Add 7 & 6 More Storeys To Pembroke Towers
The db Group has submitted a new application to significantly increase the height of its residential towers currently under construction on the former Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) site in Pembroke.
According to the application, the company is seeking to add seven storeys to one tower and six to the other—bringing their heights to 23 and 25 floors respectively. This represents a jump from the previously approved 17 and 18 floors.
No changes have been proposed for the 12-storey hotel on site, which is set to operate under the Hard Rock brand.
Credit: MaltaToday
If greenlit, the proposed changes would add 82 residential units to the 162 already approved, raising the total to 244 apartments.
Authorities including the Environment and Resources Authority and Transport Malta have requested further clarification on the environmental and traffic implications of the proposed changes.
This marks the third modification of the development’s height since it was first proposed. Originally, the project was proposed as a 38-storey tower and a 17-storey hotel, but the permit for this development was later revoked by the law courts due to conflict of interest of one of the PA board members. This revocation was not a judgement on height being applied for.
Secondly, and more importantly, the site lies in an area where the use of Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is permissible. This mechanism determines the potential and allowable number floors of medium and highrise developments.
In 2021, the approved residential towers at 18 and 17 floors respectively were approved without utilising the full potential Gross floor Area (GFA), meaning that surplus GFA was available to the developer but never utilised.
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