Lawyers for construction magnate Charles Polidano and from the Attorney General’s office yesterday made submissions on an appeal he filed after he was fined €100,000 for felling protected trees in Balzan.

Mr Polidano’s lawyers, Michael and Lucio Sciriha, and Jean Paul Sammut and Lara Lanfranco from the Attorney General’s office, made submissions before the Constitutional Court.

Dr Michael Sciriha described the judgment of the first court as “shoddy”, adding that the property in question did not even belong to Mr Polidano.

The first court had disregarded this.

Dr Lanfranco argued that the fine was not excessive. One of the offences – breach of enforcement notice – could carry a larger fine and even imprisonment.

In 2013, a magistrate found the Polidano Group guilty of breaches of environmental protection and planning laws after several protected trees had been removed illegally and a rubble wall was demolished.

Mr Polidano applied to turn the site in Balzan into 43 apartments and an underlying car park for 120 cars. The application also included the restoration of two old houses.

Despite several attempts and the application being repeatedly turned down, in November 2014 planners gave the go-ahead for the renovation and extension of three adjoining town houses on Main Street. A four-car parking area will also be built.

Mr Justice David Scicluna put off the case for October.