The Planning Authority (PA) has once again deferred its decision on whether to allow db Group to add an additional seven floors to its major St George’s Bay development, citing the public’s need for more time to review updated plans.

During Thursday’s sitting, the Planning Board postponed the vote for another three weeks after developers filed new architectural drawings on October 22, reducing the number of apartments from 82 to 60 while maintaining the same overall project size.

This marks the second deferral of the application. The previous vote was suspended following a dispute over the appointment of an NGO representative to the board.

The proposed expansion would see the project’s two residential towers rise from 17 and 18 storeys to 23 and 25 storeys respectively. The development also includes a hotel, shopping complex, and lido beach club, forming part of db Group’s wider St George’s Bay masterplan.

Project architect Darren Sciberras told the board that the new design would not affect the development’s public open space, which accounts for 41% of the site. He said the changes would increase the gross floor area (GFA) by around 10%, still within the area’s permissible Floor Area Ratio.

Sciberras also compared the height of the proposed towers to other major high-rises, noting they would be roughly equal to Portomaso Tower, but shorter than Mercury Towers and Fort Cambridge.

However, concerns were raised by Swieqi local council representative architect Anton Valentino, who noted that Transport Malta had previously made road network upgrades a condition for the project’s approval — plans that have since been withdrawn. He said this condition remains unmet.

In response, the project team said Transport Malta had given consent based on a new road improvement application (PA 6079/25) covering the St Julian’s–Pembroke area, which is currently being screened.

NGO representative Romano Cassar and Pembroke mayor Kaylon Zammit both warned that the proposed height increase – up 39% and 35% on each tower – would have a significant impact. They also asked whether db Group intended to apply for further extensions in future. The project architect replied that there were “no plans” to seek further height increases.

The db Group’s original plans, approved in 2021, included 17- and 18-storey towers and a 12-storey hotel, after initial plans for a 38-storey tower were scaled down. Construction on-site began in October 2024, following a court ruling that upheld the project’s permit.

The Pembroke Local Council recently voted to oppose the extension, reversing an earlier decision in which it had agreed to support the development in exchange for a €3 million community fund contribution from db Group.