Appeals Court clears Home Lands–Pentara project to proceed

• Court refuses injunctions with costs, Home Lands continues with Rs. 30-35 b Pentara Residences construction
• Notes that Home Lands had obtained all necessary approvals from relevant authorities, and engaged in the construction process for several months
• Project is largest residential development investment, and Rs. 4.5 b land transaction highest in history of Colombo

The Civil Appellate High Court of the Western Province by Order dated 11 December 2025, refused to issue Leave to Appeal and Interim Orders against Home Lands’ landmark Pentara Residences project in Thummulla, Colombo.

In refusing the interim reliefs sought with costs, the Civil Appeals Court held that the District Court was justified in declining to consider an enjoining order and in deciding to hear both parties on the application for interim injunction. 

The Civil Appeals Court in refusing to grant the reliefs sought also held that the present action of the petitioners appears designed to avoid the application of the equitable maxim “delay defeats equity”. 

The Court noted that the respondent Home Lands having obtained all necessary approvals from the relevant authorities, has been engaged in the construction process for several months.

The petitioners, residents in the vicinity, had raised concerns regarding noise, vibration, and dust, and sought Enjoining Orders against Home Lands from the District Court of Colombo. 

The District Court did not grant the Enjoining Orders sought as it noted that the construction had taken place for several months and accordingly the Court was not satisfied that the urgency required for the grant of an enjoining order existed. 

The Civil Appellate High Court in making its ruling refusing the Leave to Appeal and the Interim Orders sought by the petitioner also noted that the plaint itself recognised that three separate Government bodies had inspected and inquired into the concerns raised by the plaintiffs including the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO), the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), and the Electro Technology Laboratory. 

The plaintiffs, being residents living in close proximity to the construction site had filed 12 separate actions in the District Court of Colombo. The plaintiffs included Dr. Radheeka Ranmali Abeyweera, Dulanie Priyantha, Gunasekara Siriwardane, Sohan Mario Anthony Thilina Fernando, Wanni Arachchi Appuhamilage Chinthaka Jinadasa Wijewickrama, Angulugaha Gamage Imesha Anudhini Wickramapala, Wickramapala Chitrangani, Lakshman Balasuriya, Janine Champika Dilrukshi Balasuriya, and Nikamal Milinda Weerasooriya.

The plaintiffs had complained that piling, excavation and the use of heavy machinery had caused excessive noise, vibration and dust, adversely affecting their health and interfering with the peaceful enjoyment of their properties. On that basis, they sought enjoining orders temporary and urgent relief seeking to immediately stop construction pending further proceedings.

At the initial stage, the District Court declined to grant such relief, and directed that the matters be taken up after notice at the stage of interim injunctive relief. 

The residents then appealed to the Civil Appellate High Court. The Civil Appellate High Court was pleased to uphold the reasoning of the District Court stating that it found no reason to disagree with the District Court’s view and refused Leave to Appeal with costs in all 12 applications made by the Plaintiffs-Petitioners.

Home Lands Group’s 40-storey twin-tower residential development, Pentara Residences in Thummulla, Colombo, is a Board of Investment (BOI) approved project, with an investment of $ 100–110 million (approx. to Rs. 30–35 billion), which is the largest residential real estate investment by a single Sri Lankan developer. The project is backed by Hatton National Bank PLC, with large-scale funding for land acquisition. Home Lands successfully acquired nearly one acre of Colombo city land for the project at a record Rs. 4.5 billion, marking the largest land transaction in the history of Colombo.

Construction of Pentara Residences in Thummulla commenced following its launch this year, after being awarded the Development Permit by the Urban Development Authority (UDA). Having obtained all statutory and environmental approvals including approval from National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) and environmental approval from the Environmental Consultative Committee (ECC), the project is fully cleared, compliant and on track with its plan to build an ultra-luxurious, 40-storey twin tower residential complex.

President’s Counsels Ali Sabry, Kushan De Alwis, and Eraj De Siva along with Attorneys-at-Law Shanaka Coory, Rajiv Wijesinghe, Naamiq Nafath, Shamith Fernando, Aklanka Ukwatte, Daminda Wijayaratne and Sanjana Mapatuna instructed by Sudath Perera Associates appeared for the defendants-respondents.

President’s Counsel Kuvera de Zoysa with Attorneys-at-Law Ishan Alawaturage and Harshula Yapa appeared for the plaintiff petitioners.