Herman Grech
Objection to proposed Ghadira road
The Ghadira nature reserve as seen from the Foresta 2000 site.
A proposal to build a new road in Ghadira would cut right through environmentally sensitive sites and threaten the viability of a major tourist complex, according to those opposing the project.
Sections of the road would intersect the Foresta 2000 project site as well as running virtually alongside the Danish Village complex and Ghadira nature reserve. The project will also cut through the green huts caravan site before joining the existing road, which runs towards Cirkewwa.
The proposal, forming part of Malta's proposed EU Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) project, is intended to ease the traffic flow between Cirkewwa and Mellieha, according to the Roads Ministry.
This means that the beach would be extended inland, connecting it once again to the beach - which the ministry says is "crucial" for sand replenishment.
The ministry said several environmental studies had shown that without the existing road the natural sand formation at Ghadira would be much larger as the dunes would be allowed to move naturally. The plan is to eliminate the existing coast road once the new one is complete.
But environmentalists and the Danish Village complex owners are incensed at the proposal and have questioned the need to build such a road when traffic in the area has never posed problems.
Din l-Art Helwa director Petra Bianchi said the road project would risk ruining one of the few pristine stretches of land in Malta.
"I only became aware of this proposal recently and for us it's totally unacceptable," she said.
Birdlife Malta executive director Tolga Temuge said the project would have an adverse impact on the Ghadira Nature Reserve and the Foresta 2000 site and was likely to affect an area of high biodiversity value. Mr Temuge said the sand dune system mentioned by the ministry was located along only a small part of the existing road.
On the other hand, the proposed new road would cause the loss of protected garigue habitat and create significant disturbance to wildlife in an area that is designated as a protected area under both EU and Maltese law.
"We recommend that instead of using the sand dune argument, the minister should explain to the Maltese taxpayers how replacing a four-lane road with no existing traffic problems with a two-lane road will make any sense from a transportation point of view."
Danish Village managing director Flemming Jensen said he was baffled and shocked by the plans.
"We're victims of a proposal we don't understand. In 13 years, I've never seen a traffic jam outside our complex," he said. Mr Jensen said he was recently called to a meeting at the ADT and shown three different proposals of the road, each of which would place the new road within 15 metres of the holiday complex.
He warned that the road would ruin the aesthetics of a low-rise tourist village, which is renowned for blending into the environment.
"They say they want to extend the beach, but by then, all the tourists would have long gone," he said, referring to the 17,000 guests a year who have visited the complex for the past three decades.
The proposal could, however, face a number of stumbling blocks, especially since the planning for any TEN-T project will need to comply with the requirements of EU environmental legislation.
A spokesman for the Roads Ministry said the ADT had originally considered the option of upgrading the existing Ghadira route to proper highway standards. The necessary upgrades were found to be profoundly problematic by the environmental lobby, specifically Birdlife, which looked into the matter in great detail. Birdlife had objected on the grounds that it would have cut straight through the nature reserve.
The ministry has therefore sought alternatives, and a route that connects the Ta' Pinellu hill to the Cirkewwa route from behind the Danish Village and the bird sanctuary creates the opportunity to remove altogether the existing road at Ghadira.
"We have started initial consultations on the idea for an alternative route and have obtained favourable opinions of the heads of the environmental and transport teams at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.
"We are drawing up detailed plans that, if presented to Mepa, will need to undergo the entire planning permitting process, including environmental impact assessments and public consultations," the ministry said.
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In Discussion
14 Comments
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C Mallia
Nov 26th 2008, 13:33
I think the best comment made in this blog is by J Mallia (no relation .. I hope). If and a big IF a road is needed to be constructed to handle north traffic (?) then the best is to construct it to the WEST side. The Mellieha bypass is already constructed to the west and then suddenly turns sharply to the east. This part should be destroyed and reclaimed back to the environment, and the old roads (before the Mellieha Bypass was constructed) are revamped and narrowed to two lane no parking zones, with the beach being enlargened in the process.
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Nov 25th 2008, 10:49
My comment was intended to try and instil some tolerance and respect in Mr. Temuge towards others, something which is quite lacking I must say!!!!!!!!!!!!
Richard Cachia Zammit
Nov 24th 2008, 16:59
@Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
So you seem to be pleased with the fact that more of our garigue will be destroyed just for the sake of constructing a new road which we can easily do without. Your comment shows clearly the love and interest you have towards our natural heritage.
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Nov 24th 2008, 10:52
Maybe someone can explain this Maltese saying to Mr. Temuge:- "Min jixtieq id-deni lil garu, jigu f'daru!!!"
OR
What goes round, comes round!!!
mark causon
Nov 23rd 2008, 19:55
The argument that this will help regeneration of the of sand dunes is a non starter and the reason is , because is the existing road going to be demolished completely, or are we going to leave a "sic" lane with the excuse of a passage for the nature reserve, for the fields and for emergency services?
Destroying more garrigue and agricultural land on the excuse that Ghadira road creates congestion is a blatant lie because traffic always passes smoothly.
Mario Gauci
Nov 23rd 2008, 18:11
Have the authorities considered having a ferry service from Gozo to Valletta thus eliminating a large part of the traffic in this area?
Joseph Calleja
Nov 23rd 2008, 17:59
There is nothing wrong with the Ghadira road, it's already a four lane road, what needs to be done is a new four lane road that extends from top of the Hill near the Madonna Shrine to connect to the Cirkewwa road at the Marfa crossroad. This will put a four lane road from the Mellieha Roundabout at the top of the Selmun Hill all the way to Cirkewwa. Anything else will spoil the beauty of the land and interfere with the Ghadira Nature Reserve and Foresta 2000 site. After that maybe start thinking about a four lane road connecting the St Pauls Bay Bypass to the Mellieha Bypass. You have to start somewhere and this is a good way to start, Mepa might take a look and consider such a plan., Mellieha Council might consider this plan too.
Franco Farrugia
Nov 23rd 2008, 16:43
@ Mr Camilleri, and in general: From now on, even though we are wayyyyyyyyyy too late about it, we have to ensure that every development that is carried out will respect the tiny bit of nature that we have left. To the detriment of every other project imaginable.
C.Camilleri
Nov 23rd 2008, 15:26
it seems that whatever Govt does it always find objectors. Doing nothing the will please everyone and will be criticized by everyone.
Manuel Mifsud
Nov 23rd 2008, 13:39
The proposed new road project is a non-starter. The authorities including MEPA would do well to immediately say "no" to this plan thereby saving the Maltese people months or even years of discussions and arguments!
Unfortunately, the Maltese Islands are so small; we have to protect what is left of our environment. The existing road was a necessary evel. When it was built it practically destroyed half of the beach, but it is understood that it was necessary to take the huge amount of traffic on its way from Malta to Gozo. Now let's keep it as it is; perhaps it can be improved without damaging the environment. The funds meant for the "new" road should be spent to create or extend a few more sandy beaches like St. george's Bay in St. Julians.
J Mallia
Nov 23rd 2008, 13:02
I think the best solution would be a tunnel that would join the road coming down from Ta' Pennellu (Mellieha Bypass), pass beneath Tac-Cumnija - further west from l-Ghadira - where the land elevation permits its construction - and which would re-emerge on the ridge close to the AFM tower.
This would not only protect l-Ghadira. It would even permit the reclaimation of a good fraction of the width of the roads going down to it, as Ghadira would then not be a thoroughfare any longer, but only an end-destination. This would also allow the replenishment of the sand dune mentioned by the Ministry.
It will cost more money, of course .. but the next generations will be thankful.
isobel mcgonigle
Nov 23rd 2008, 10:59
Instead of wasting money on a road that is not needed ,would not the money be better spent on resurfacing major roads that resemble a luna landscape?
Chris Finch
Nov 23rd 2008, 10:55
Surely a 4 lane bypass for Xemxija is needed much more than this.something that extends the St Pauls Bay bypass to join the Mellieha baypass would reduce traffic congestion on the Selmun hill and allow emergency services much better access to Mellieha and the north of the island during summer months and sundays.
Once again the traffic planning department seems to be in cloud cuckoo land. Maybe we should get someone who actually travels on our roads to be in charge of road planning?? Just a thought as whoever seems to be in charge is obviously out of touch with what is needed.
Paul Caruana
Nov 23rd 2008, 10:40
I would say that it is becoming increasingly clear that the least damaging (if not ideal) option is to improve the current road to the maximum extent possible, while to a large extent keeping its current, less than ideal footprint and course through ghadira bay.
Narrowing it to a two lane road, by the way, is most definitely a bad idea, considering the congestion and subsequent pollution this would create in this ecologically sensitive area during the summer months and /or weekends