Pembroke mayor to vote against St George's Bay development

Pembroke mayor Dean Hili has announced that he will be voting against db Group’s proposed 38-storey tower and 18-storey hotel in St George’s Bay when the case comes before the Planning Authority. As representative of the Pembroke council, Dr Hili will be one of 14 members of the board, assuming full attendance, when the application for the former Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) site is decided on September 20. The authority’s case officer has recommended the controversial application for approval, concluding that it was in line with all relevant policies and would create a “landmark building” in an area designated for high-rise developments. Dr Hili said on Thursday that following a four-hour preliminary board meeting, there remained significant concerns and “fundamental differences in opinion”, and that the local council’s position remained against the project. The Pembroke mayor argued that the project’s design was incongruous with its primarily residential surroundings and reiterated concerns over the lack of a master plan for the broader area of Paceville, Pembroke, St Julian’s and Swieqi. “Greater efforts must be made to consider the cumulative effect of the high-rise...