This case, which was determined by the First Hall of the Civil Court by means of a final judgment dated the 25th of May 2026, concerned a private agreement dated 8 April 2013, under which the plaintiffs committed to obtaining a MEPA planning permit, within one year, for the extension of the roof of a Valletta property acquired by the defendant. If the permit was obtained, defendant was obliged to pay the plaintiffs €160,000 within 15 working days from the date of its issue.
The plaintiffs asserted that they had fulfilled their contractual obligations, since planning permit PA/01392/13 was issued on the 14th of November 2013, well within the stipulated one-year period. On that basis, they claimed that Defendant was liable to pay the agreed sum of €160,000 together with interest and costs. Defendant contested the claim. He argued that the permit could not be treated as final, as it was subject to an appeal lodged by a neighbouring owner. More significantly, he maintained that the
