St Paul's Bay residents and mayor at odds over pavement extension

St Paul's Bay residents are protesting against the extension of a pavement into the middle of Church Street, which they argue has been "ruined" by unsightly construction.

They complained that they had not been consulted about the development and that the pavement was only constructed to suit the needs of a restaurant in the street, so that its chairs and tables could be placed outside.

The residents said the restaurant already had an extension for tables and chairs, which has now been developed into a stepped "platform" to level out the steep road.

They maintained that it was so high that it would be impossible for a pushchair to be lifted on and off it, forcing pedestrians to walk in the road.

The extension has also rendered access to a public staircase difficult, as well as narrowing the two-way street to a single lane.

Moreover, the chairs and tables would block drivers' view of oncoming traffic when turning the corner to go up the road.

The residents said it would also be inconvenient to have to wind their way through the chairs and tables, and the elderly fishermen, who used to sit there, could no longer do so.

"You don't need to be an architect, or have a technical eye to see that the platform-like construction is ugly," they said. "It just looks wrong."

Pavements fall under the responsibility of local councils. The Malta Environment and Planning Authority said it had no jurisdiction over the matter.

St Paul's Bay mayor Paul Bugeja said the council had reached a unanimous decision to extend pavements, where possible, "to promote tourism".

The idea was to allow restaurants to put chairs and tables outdoors and about six pavements have already been extended in various streets in the Bugibba and St Paul's Bay area, the mayor said, adding that the council would continue to extend more wherever possible.

"We intend to keep on going and going... for the sake of tourism", he said.

"The problem is that people do not readily accept change and think that you are taking something away from them."

Mr Bugeja said that through a 'fish-bone' pattern parking system, the street would be able to cater for more parked cars and the new pavement would serve to protect them.