Charles Polidano (iċ-Ċaqnu), a developer with a record of enforcement orders and illegalities, has managed to get his way on another development of seafront apartments in Xemxija, thanks to a deal with the Labour government.
In 2022, through his company Xemxija Estates Ltd, he secured the Planning Authority’s approval for the sanctioning of a building he had built more than a decade earlier and left in a shell form, now destined to be converted into 47 apartments, two penthouses, 34 garages, and shops.
Yet he had an outstanding issue. A part of the building was on government property, which he did not own.
The issue has now been resolved through the intervention of the government, which used the Lands Authority to issue a tailor-made tender specifically for Polidano’s requirements.
Earlier this month, the Lands Authority issued a call for the acquisition of public land in front of Polidano’s already built block of apartments to be handed over to him to accommodate his requirements.
Although small, the parcel of public land was crucial for Polidano to complete his project, as it will now be used as an entrance to underground garages and a realignment of the property.
To facilitate matters, the Lands Authority issued the tender through the usual right of first refusal, making Polidano the only real contender.
It set the price for the public land at €42,571 per year for 15 years, with the possibility that Polidano could redeem it on a perpetual basis during the duration of the emphyteutic grant.
Unsurprisingly, by the end of the tendering process, only Polidano’s company made a bid, for just €1 over the price set by the Lands Authority.

Through this acquisition, the project, already advertised for sale as ‘Terrazzas’ on the Xemxija waterfront, is set to be completed soon.
The Xemxija development is the latest in a series of cases that show how Polidano is resolving all his pending issues with the government after decades of complete impunity by all government administrations.
Only a few weeks ago, the Planning Authority sanctioned massive illegalities, including a zoo, a family park, and various extensions built illegally in 2008 as part of the Montekristo complex.
The Planning Authority agreed that once Polidano paid some €1.8 million in fines, his irregularities would be cleared.
In 2023, Prime Minister Robert Abela and Archbishop Charles Scicluna inaugurated Polidano’s building in Ħal Farruġ, which had been developed illegally for years and was later sanctioned.
In Xemxija alone, Polidano has another two contested projects. One is a tower in the area of the protected curt ruts.
Another development planned consists of two towers just behind the long-standing development just facilitated by the Lands Department – a development the local council objected to, calling it “savage”. Yet Polidano has already closed off and occupied the area, including a street set in the local plans.
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#Charlie Polidano Caqnu
#Lands Authority
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#tender
#Terrazza
#Xemxija
Normal pre election mode by the govt. Permits and notably brown envelopes to the party.
Corruption galore all year round. The party’s financiers have to be compensated. Ok
U int ikollok ghalqa u ma tistax taghamel imqar kamra zghira u lart tkun tieghek viva il bobby
Lanqas naqbel li ghax ghandek art ODZ ghandek tibni kamra. L art odz hija odz ghal dik ir-raguni. Immagina kullhadd japplika biex jibni kamra go odz l pajsagg naturali kif ingibuh kieku, ghax l art hija li hi, artna daqs naqra. Kieku kullhadd ihobb u japprezza l odz kieku ma niegux bl ideat li nibnu kullimkien kmamar. Imma li tghidli li ma jhallukx tibni kamra ma tantx tinzilli ghax dal gvern mafia kollox itik tibni, kif trid, fejn trid u meta trid!! Pajjiz gabu zibel ma kullimkien!
Jien mhinix nghid xi bangalow bil pool jew xi pool fuq odz bhal ta IAN BORG imma kamra zghira fejn jekk ghandek delizju tizra naqra haxix ghaliek stess ikollok fejn tghamel naqra lingenji
Ma tantx nemmen li ghal ingenji ghax hadd ma jhalli xejn fil-kamra ghax jibzghu li jinsterqu, so l ebda kamra fl ghelieqi ma qed tintuza ghal dan il-ghan. Pero kieku ma nibnux bil kantun imma bil gebla kif tara kmamar antiki kieku fija u ma fihiex. Imma hawnhekk kollox ghal flus, l aqwa li thallas lil gvern u xejn policies u regulations.
Taprezza l’odz u min jiehu hsiebu l’odz. Mela nonfqu flusna u anqas post fejn thalli mghasqa skond int. Tiraagunaw. Din ta min jghajd xejb fl’odz hi kofoffa min taparsi ambjentalisti biex jifavurixu il kbar ghax min ghandu tomna jewvtnejn li ikun kuntent b’kamra jew tnejn jaqta qalbu u jidhlu il gganti jibnu blokok ta appartamenti. Ez Gharghur- Buzjetta, sheep farm, villel b’izjed bini milli gnien imma biex tibni kamra sura jaqlawlek f’wiedek. Kieku ssir policy semplici ezempju 20 metru kull tomna sular wiehed biss idealmemen go targa ta raba halli ma tidirx bi landscaping u mill anqas sigra kull metru kieku Malta foresta.
L imghazqachudha mieghek d dar! Tghidtx cucati! Kull min qed jibni kamra mhux ghal mazqa irridha! Hallina!!
Issa gejja ahjar ghax jekk ikolhok bicca art u tuza biex taghadi ftit hin mal familja u forsi tiehu hsiba mhux ghal hsieb biex tghaqla il flus minha se johodilek u is sagrificju li tkun ghamilt jisfixa fix xejn ma ninsewx il bobby akwista bicva art ghawdex biex jaghamila boutique hotel dak jista?
Now in Zabbar they applied to build a home for the Elderly on an ODZ zone ,we wait and see
Li ma jhallukx mhux problema illum. Tibni xorta u kif trid u mbad thallas xi haga u kollox ok…
For those who do not remember, this government is by far trumping the seventies/eighties one with regard to gifting of public land. Beware that this is very similar to the insurance despots and tyrants create for themselves and close buddies when they realise the economic crash they created is close.
Bull. Every Government since independence has played santaclause with public land. Anyone who says otherwise is politically myopic.
True. But this government outperformed them all.
Dan ghal min ma jafx huwa business partner ma Portelli!!
Dan business partner mal-gvern
Ukoll!
What a joke this Government has become.
Brown nosing millionaire developers.
Scrach my back and I will make you a billioner.
Mela u triq publika ta quddiem il blokka maghluqa ghal kullhad ghal karozzi u ghan nies u jkolna ndura d dawra biex nghaddu ! Hekk sew hux!
Why are they giving permits on the front that go up higher and obstucting the other buildings view , only in Malta. And to make things worse this is a building that was build illegaly on Goverment Land , .