Kurt Sansone
Għadira road studies going ahead
The controversial Għadira road project may have been temporarily shelved but the environmental studies on the government's four applications are expected to continue.
The Malta Environment and Planning Authroity is preparing the guidelines for the environment impact assessment on the proposed re-routing or upgrading of the existing road and is asking the public to submit any issues that should be included in the terms of reference.
The deadline for submissions is February 12 and they have to be addressed to the Director of Environment Protection.
The government last year submitted four applications covering a range of options from upgrading the existing road to the construction of a completely new one passing behind the Sea Bank Hotel and the nature reserve.
The Għadira road forms part of the European Transport Ten-T network, which is the major route linking the Freeport to Ċirkewwa.
Roads Minister Austin Gatt said last October construction work was being temporarily shelved and EU funds earmarked for the project were to be redirected towards the construction of a new junction at Kappara.
Dr Gatt had complained about Mepa's procrastination in issuing the terms of reference for the environmental impact assessment. The delay prompted the ministry to drop the idea of building the road using EU funds because the deadline for submitting proposals was very tight.
It would be built using government funds instead. Environmental groups were up in arms after the government proposed the building of a new road further inland instead of the current road, which passes alongside the sandy beach.
The ministry had justified its plans saying the road as it stood today was a major cause of sand erosion at the popular bay and produced a study by British coastal geology expert Kenneth Pye to back up its claims.
The report had also pointed out that further studies were required to determine the impact of the road's removal on the low-lying nature reserve, which risked flooding.
Further details on the EIA terms of reference can be found on www.mepa.org.mt/permitting-ea-cons.
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Charles Muscat
Jan 24th 2010, 11:05
Is the building which is on the beach will be removed? It is so ugly and without shape and sense. It is also taking space from the disappearing beach.
D.Bonnici
Jan 23rd 2010, 13:53
Whatever the case: Ghadira road is a foreign body in the midst of a sandy beach. Surely it does have some sort of impact (even if little) on the sand replenishment. Even if its just the insects crossing fron behind the road onto the sandy beach and bringing with them on their feet granuels of sand.
All interventions will cause an impact, however ideally a road should be built where it does the least impact. Building roads on solid rock, or tunnelled under seems to be more opportune and less of an impact (environment wise not business wise for some).
Sand is replenished in many ways it seems, from the sea itself, wind factors, insects, etc... keep also in mind, that rain water seeping through the valley down the sand also replenishes some of the sand from the valley itself. Building dams in the midst (in this case a road) surely has some limiting factor.
At the end of the day even from an asthetic point of view - the road is very ugly where it is. Environmentalists should try not to hear businessmen but take an informed opinion on purely environmental impact.
Joseph Calleja
Jan 23rd 2010, 12:44
It appears to me that Ghadira Beach is diminishing slowly. Every year it seems to become smaller and smaller and thus more crowded. Anyone from Mellieha above the age of 50 can realize the deterioration more than anybody else . The road has already been pushed back once, and maybe it is time to be moved back again or replaced to save the beach. We will leave that aspect to the experts. Ghadira Bay is one of Malta's biggest tourist attractions and is appreciated by most Maltese citizens. The government must do what it has to do to save the little sand beach left. Dr Gatt do the right thing and let the environmental study move on.
J. Borg
Jan 23rd 2010, 10:29
Austin Gatt is paid by the taxpayers....
MEPA is paid by the taxpayers....
Kenneth Pye was paid by the taxpayers.....
Now NGOs are expected to make their submissions within 3 weeks
who is financing the NGOs?
It will be fair and appropriate - that when NGOs make submissions and studies that are eventually proven right - government and/or the developer pays the NGOs to cover the expenses and time dedicated to safeguard the environment.
These funds should then be deducted from the Minister's and/or MEPA's officers' pay - unless a private individual/company foots the bill.
Otherwise we might as well not pay any taxes and instead give equivalent donations and more to established NGOs.