Thursday, 27th November 2008
No studies available to back new Għadira road project
The pink outline shows the extent and position of the new road being proposed.
The government's plans to build a new road in Għadira to stop the sandy beach's erosion were not backed by any studies, Transport Minister Austin Gatt admitted yesterday.
The beach had receded after the existing road was widened in the 1980s and Dr Gatt insisted this was clear for all to see.
Plans for the new road have already been shot down by environmentalists but Dr Gatt voiced willingness to discuss the matter even though he insisted that doing nothing was not an option.
The €15 million project, around 80 per cent of which would be funded by the EU, would see the beach extended through the removal of the existing coast road. It would be replaced by another road running alongside the back of the Danish Village complex and the Għadira nature reserve, touching the Foresta 2000 project site. The planned road would form part of the proposed EU Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T project).
BirdLife Malta has already said the development would have an adverse impact on the nature reserve and the Foresta 2000 site. Danish Village fears the road would ruin the aesthetics of the low-rise tourist complex renowned for the way it blends with the environment.
However, during a press conference yesterday, Dr Gatt remarked that, while the site itself was priceless, both the Danish Village and the bird sanctuary were man-made.
Going through five different options, including doing nothing and losing EU funds, Dr Gatt said the plans provided a good chance of upgrading the beach. "We can have a phenomenal beach and are risking losing it because the sand dunes have been destroyed."
Birdlife has noted that the sand dune system was actually located along just a small part of the existing road.
Former Transport Minister Jesmond Mugliett had also proposed upgrading the road, at an expense of something like €4.6 million, which Dr Gatt said would have solved the traffic problems but would have had a negative impact on the beach. Proposals to build a bridge allowing the beach to grow or build a new road with a tunnel had been shot down.
Explaining the fifth option, that of replacing the existing road with one passing from behind the Danish Village and the Għadira nature reserve, Dr Gatt said a trail wide enough for two cars to pass already existed in the area.
He said there was the disadvantage that this road passed through the garigue.
"We are not trying to hide this but at the end of the day it is an issue of balance between one option and the other. My appeal is for someone to tell us what to do but we cannot just say no," he said, adding he was willing to go for any option but intervention was necessary.
Dr Gatt said it was not true that the road would cut through the Foresta 2000 site, although he quickly added that there could be some overlaps on an area which is still unplanted and there could be the possibility of having to remove "a row of trees".
Questioned about the possibility that the road would mean the closure of the Danish Village, Dr Gatt said that if they decided to sell, they would find a buyer straight away.
Asked how he will assure people that Seabank Hotel will not take over part of the beach once the proposal brings the sandy area to its doorstep, Dr Gatt said concessions were not under his competence.
When asked why the project was a priority when so many other roads were in a disastrous state, Dr Gatt said the TEN-T funds for this proposed road could not be transferred to another project.
Din l-Art Ħelwa strongly objected to the building of the new road saying it would cut through "a protected and sensitive stretch of open countryside", opening the way for further development.
It said the traffic situation was not serious enough to warrant "the destruction of protected countryside".
On Tuesday, the Labour Party called on the government not to threaten the Foresta 2000 grove by building a road. Environment spokesman Leo Brincat acknowledged that the existing road needed to be upgraded but said the government had to be sensitive to habitats that were protected by European law.
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Comments
@ Franco Farrugia
Yes indeed. Parking in from of my garage is the main concern for me. On the rest I have no say!
I do strongly agree with the proposed idea as it will also make Ghadira more peaceful. I just hope the project will be materialized.
There are only two hotels in the area, being the Mellieha Bay Hotel and the Seabank Hotel. If you are aware of any conspiracy by any of the hotels say so. All I know is that the Mellieha Bay Hotel has been there since the late '60's and the road project in question have been thought about since the time that the Seabank Hotel was a 9 room guest house and owned/run by the different ownership than is in place today.
The new road will be an extension of the Mellieha bypass. Traffic that still uses the Mellieha Core Raod to travel beyond Mellieha Bay at the Seabank junction will no longer be beneficial as it will extend both distance and travelling time to do so.
I certainly hope that this will also bring a radical change to the way public transit serves the area. The buses have to go from the Mellieha Core. A mini terminus should be built at the bring in site by the Bellview. Mini buses running on clean energy should service the locals by running a servise through the Mellieha core with routes commencing from and to the mentioned bring in site and the roundabout by the Seabank hotel. I also would suggest that a mine bus servise to operate from the bring insite to service the locals. This servise would travel through tal Qortin, Santa Maria Estate, Mellieha heights, down the village core proceding behind the Church. by the new Seniors Home, ta Penellu and ending at the bring in site. This could be done at a reasonable cost. However, the Environmental and health benefits will be enormous.
I, too, drive through the present one and I see no particular problems.
When are we going to learn to protect the little natural environment that we have left?
When are we going to realise that Malta, even seen from above, has become one complete concrete block!
Let's all be mature in our comments and subsequent decisions - and let's not just follow our party's flag whatever that party says or does!!!!!
excuse my ignorance but
"The proposed road will also benefit the Mellieha Village core as less traffic will proceed through it once build."
I fail to understand this remark . traffic thru mellieha is alraedy at a benefit wih the Ta Pennellu bypass. This 'new' road does not in no way bypass mellieha.
I hope now you have learnt what garigue means :)
it seems now GonziPN wants to also accomodate the two hotels on both sides of the bay, and some well acquainted contractors.
The proposed road as shown in the picture above will have little impact as the road running at the back of the nature reserve will be raised on pillars to safe guard the fields as much as possible. A raised road at the back build, instead along the existing road, will have significant less impact on the surrounding environment.
Additionally the problems seem to stem from a lack of parking spaces proportional to the popularity of the place in summer. Has anyone thought of a proper carpark and THEN (but only then) get the cars off the street parking? Being only utilised in summer might make the carpark option not economically attractive though.
with seven legs we abandon a project from which all citizens will benefit from.
As for the Għadira nature reserve, the Simmar nature reserve is also close to the road and still birds breed there.
"Dr Gatt said the TEN-T funds for this proposed road could not be transferred to another project"
Who was the brilliant entity/person who has decided EU should allocate funds to this particular small strech of road with no traffic congestions?
Can someone answer these questions? I very much doubt it
I have known, and loved, the place since childhood.
The project will have to take into account the provision of safe and adequate parking facilities for visitors to the bay.
It is commendable that the Green Party is contributing in other subject matters - however let's hope it does not forsake it's raison d'etre - the environment.
I am not an architect/engineer but surely this should stop the beach erosion.
Oh! So, that's all that concerns us, as citizens. Regardless of the damage and harm caused to the natural environment, the little bit of pristine countryside and garigue left in the Maltese islands, our interest is solely what hits us directly - no parking in front of OUR garage!
No wonder we are in this state of affairs in this country.