DB Group
The ITS tower: from public land to private towers
Summary
The former Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) site in Pembroke became one of Malta's most contested developments when db San Gorg Property Limited (owned by Silvio Debono / DB Group) proposed a mixed-use "City Centre" development with two residential towers. The planning database captures the full saga: a 2017 main application (PA/03807/17) approved by the Planning Board in September 2018 with a vote of 209-232, a contentious re-approval in June 2021 after four board members recused themselves citing a court judgement, a 2025 expansion adding 60 more apartments (+7 and +6 floors to the two towers), and the immediate demolition of boathouses at St George's Bay to build a pool.
Key findings
The application chain
| Case | Year filed | Description | Decision | Board vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PA/03807/17 | 2017 | "Proposed City Centre multi-use development, including excavation of former ITS site, demolition of modern structures, retention of Grade 2 scheduled buildings and Cold War substation, construction of..." | Approved (Sep 2018), then Re-approved (Jun 2021) | 209-232 (2018), 177-200 (2021) |
| PA/05533/19 | 2019 | Excavation of former ITS site in preparation for City Centre development — including demolition and sanctioning of partly demolished non-scheduled building | Still pending | |
| PA/00468/17 | 2016 | Seabank Hotel (Silvio Debono): roof over terraces for 10 new hospitality rooms, sanction additional parking, LPG tank, boundary wall, restaurant, sports area | Still pending | |
| PA/03218/25 | 2025 | "Proposed addition of 7 floors and 6 floors to Towers A and B respectively (including 1 duplex floor on each tower) to approved development in PA 3807/17. Proposal includes the addition of 54 apartments and 6 duplex apartments for a total additional 60 apartments." | Approved (Nov 2025) | 17-29 |
| PA/07224/25 | 2025 | "Demolition of existing structures (boathouses) and proposed construction of pool and deck" at St George's Bay | Approved |
The 2018 Board hearing
The original approval of PA/03807/17 came on 19 September 2018 with the full Planning Board. The board minutes note that the site spans both Pembroke and St Julian's local council boundaries — and the two councils couldn't agree on which should have a representative on the board, so the Pembroke representative was nominated.
Vote: 209 in favour, 232 total (suggesting some abstentions or procedural votes recorded differently).
The 2021 recusal drama
When PA/03807/17 came back to the board on 9 June 2021, something extraordinary happened. The board minutes record that the chairman read a declaration from FIVE board members — Vincent Cassar, Victor Axiak, Joseph Brincat, and Annick Bonello — who recused themselves citing a Court of Appeal judgment from 19 June 2019. The declaration was read in Maltese: they were recusing "for transparency and caution" without prejudice. This meant 5 of the board's members stepped away from the vote.
The application was approved with a vote of 177-200.
The 2025 expansion: +60 apartments
PA/03218/25 proposed adding 7 and 6 floors respectively to the two approved towers, creating 60 additional apartments. This went through THREE board hearings:
- 15 October 2025: Session deferred because the eNGO representative wasn't present and hadn't been gazetted
- 6 November 2025: Deferred for 3 weeks to allow objectors to review latest submissions
- 27 November 2025: Approved with a vote of 17-29
The architect explained it was "a continuation of a previously approved development" — the classic incremental expansion.
The boathouses
PA/07224/25 — approved in 2025 — authorized the demolition of existing boathouses at St George's Bay and construction of "pool and deck." The historic structures replaced by private amenities.
Why this matters
The DB Group tower saga shows every pressure point in Malta's planning system. A development on former public land (the ITS site) that required multiple board hearings, triggered unprecedented public objections, caused board members to recuse themselves citing court rulings, and then was incrementally expanded by 60 apartments just four years after approval. The 2025 expansion hearing — deferred twice before a final 17-29 vote — suggests ongoing controversy. Meanwhile, the demolition of boathouses for a private pool at St George's Bay shows the project's footprint expanding beyond the original ITS site. The database captures what news headlines often miss: the procedural mechanics through which large developments survive legal challenges, board drama, and public opposition to emerge larger than originally proposed.