Law Blog

The Graffiti case wants both ‘participation’ and  ‘grievance’ Few words in planning appeals generate more debate—and more confusion—than parteċipazzjoni. The law in Article 50(2) of Cap. 551 provides that only those who have participated in the appeal before the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal may go on to appeal its decision to the Court. Indeed […]

It is tempting—especially in planning law—for objectors and even judges to confuse a strong opinion with a legal breach. But the law draws a line. When a decision depends on how something looks, feels, or fits within its surroundings, we are no longer dealing with law—we are dealing with judgment, and that judgment belongs to […]

An issue worth recalling is how rigid policy thresholds can, in exceptional cases, give way to more context-sensitive planning reasoning. In Lorenzo Erba vs L-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar (Appell 334/24JB, PA2599/24, 17 ta’ Ġunju 2025), the applicant successfully obtained permission for a public service garage accommodating twelve vehicles, despite the explicit capping of five set out in […]