Ċaqnu’s supermarket: PA appeals against compensation to former owners
The Planning Authority has appealed a court judgment awarding €331,295 in compensation for discrimination to landowners denied a permit
4 August 2021, 7:49am
by James Debono
The Planning Authority has appealed a court judgment awarding €331,295 in compensation for discrimination to landowners denied a permit to develop a garden centre, on land where construction magnate Charles Polidano later was awarded a PA permit for a supermarket in 2007.
The court found a “clear case of distinct treatment”, ruling that the original landowners had been prejudiced by the PA’s preferential behaviour after hearing that within a year, Polidano acquired the land and obtained a supermarket permit which he sold to the Lidl supermarket chain for three times the price he had originally paid.
No inquiry on Lidl permit that cost €331,000 in penalties
Planning Authority rules out inquiry on 2009 decision to green-light the controversial permit for Lidl supermarket that has now resulted in €331,000 compensation to previous landowners over discrimination
8 July 2021, 7:57am
by James Debono
The Planning Authority has no intention of holding an internal inquiry after court sentence ordered it to fork out €331,295 in compensation for discrimination of landowners, over a Lidl supermarket permit in Luqa awarded to construction magnate Charles Polidano in 2006.
The court found that the Cutajar family had been repeatedly denied permission by the PA to build a garden centre on the same land, outside development zones.