Patrick Dalli submitted new plans for his controversial Żejtun farmhouse during the last planning authority hearing on his application to sanction illegalities but the promise of sale agreement is still not public.

In the plans submitted, the husband of Equal Opportunities Minister Helena Dalli argued that his development was justified based on a 1994 law, according to property buyer Jason Desira.

Mr Desira told Times of Malta that a 1994 law allowed the amalgamation of existing rooms. The plans submitted aimed to support Mr Dalli’s claim that the new building was less than the original rooms together. They also show the original development permit was breached.

In the meantime, the promise of sale has still not been released.

The development was justified based on a 1994 law

On December 1, Mr Dalli called Times of Malta “liars” on Facebook after it reported that he refused to publish the promise of sale agreement on the house.

Since then, this newspaper has been chasing him for it. On Thursday, he replied he had given it to his lawyer “to hand over to The Times”. Yesterday, the newspaper sent a text message to his lawyer and called him 11 times but he was unavailable.

A document presented in Parliament by his wife was not the actual promise of sale agreement, according to a notary. It consisted of an extension that lacked details, the notary pointed out.

Mr Dalli is the majority shareholder in Pada Builders Limited, which owns the house. He is defending the permit application being considered by Mepa.

This newspaper had reported that there were workers on site despite an enforcement notice on the property.

Last week, Opposition spokesman Ryan Callus said the Environment and Planning Act laid down that any application to sanction illegalities should be refused if an enforcement notice prohibiting further activity was breached.

Not only did the planning authority hear the case, it never raised a question on the development at a time when the illegalities were widely reported, Mr Callus said.

Excerpts of conversations with Jason Desira – November 28

11:05am:

Journalist: When the PN held a press conference in front of Patrick Dalli’s house... you had said you would publish the promise of sale agreement...

JD: I’ll photocopy it and give it to you.

Journalist: Tomorrow morning?

JD: Yes...

JD: All this hassle is in vain.

Journalist: The issue will be settled.

JD: But Helena [Dalli] presented it.

Journalist: What she presented was the extension of your agreement.

JD: Only?

Journalist: Yes.

JD: Alright... I’ll inform Patrick [Dalli] I’m going to give it to you, as long as there’s no problem...

12.05pm:

JD: I called him [Mr Dalli]. He said it’s published.

Journalist: The original agreement in 2012 was not published.

JD: Call him.

Journalist: I’m calling you because at the press conference you said you have no problem publishing it...

JD: Yes, but why do you need it?

Journalist: What do you mean?

JD: Do you want to know the price?

Journalist: I don’t know what it contains. You said you would publish it so I’m asking for it.

JD: But you don’t need to know how much I bought it for... you don’t know what’s going on between us...

JD: I tell you they [Mr Dalli and his wife] are not involved...

JD: The first permit was in 1998. In 1994, there was a law saying if you have six rooms and you want to amalgamate them, it’s not a problem...They can’t stop me.

Journalist: I can only go by what Mepa says...

JD: Yes, OK. There shouldn’t be work done on it... but you see what I mean...

12.18pm:

JD: Patrick [Dalli] told me he gave all four promise of sale agreements –2011 to 2014.

Journalist: He’s mistaken.

JD: Call him.

Journalist: If they’re public why don’t you still meet me tomorrow?

JD: Just call him...