Prime Minister Joseph Muscat this morning defended the planning authority’s decision in granting a development permit for a high rise complex at Mistra Village saying the authority had legal advice not to refuse project because of certain obligations.

The Environment and Planning Commissioner in the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday issued a report on the investigation into the granting of the permit saying Mepa would have been justified had it revoked the permit.

Yesterday, Mepa issued a statement insisting that a permit could only be considered for revocation in the case of an error on the face of the record, fraud or public safety, the planning authority said this afternoon.

Dr Muscat said this afternoon that according to the legal advice given to Mepa, the Environment Commissioner was not legally correct when he said that Mepa could have revoked the permit. He insisted that although he respected the commissioner’s decision, he was making the wrong legal interpretation.