Three Planning Authority officials have resigned after Minister Ian Borg sent out a letter reminding high-ranking members of their legal obligations in terms of conflicts of interest.

While not explicitly mentioned within the letter, Borg is likely making reference to the recent court decision to revoke the permit for DB’s City Centre Project over the conflict of interests of one of the PA Board members.

Matthew Pace, the Remax franchise owner at the centre of the case, has stepped down, along with Transport Malta’s representative on the Planning Board, Ivan Tabone.

The Planning Board is responsible for the issuing of development permissions.

The final resignation was of Mariello Spiteri, an architect who sits on the Planning Commission that determines planning applications within the development zone

Borg has officially said that the three retired over personal reasons. However, Lovin Malta has been informed that the letter pushed the three to step down.

DB Group recently filed a judicial protest demanding damages from the PA, arguing that they failed to safeguard its right to a fair hearing given that it had no knowledge of the particular circumstances tied to the hearing.

They are also demanding that the PA liquidate and pay the relevant damages, while also holding it “directly and solely” responsible for the financial losses incurred by the Group.

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