The Gozo Curia is proposing to transform the “disturbed” fields surrounding the Citadel into a car park with 80 spaces.
The project aims to improve parking facilities and accessibility to Gozo’s old capital “to attract more visitors for the benefit of its religious, cultural and commercial establishments”.
The report, commissioned by the Cathedral Chapter, was drawn up by AIS Environmental as part of an environment impact report submitted for the planning application.
The car park would be in an area that “is becoming increasingly problematic” and would stabilise the slopes at the site, which is outside the Citadel in an area is known as Ir-Raba’ ta’ wara s-Sur.
“Over the years, erosion, mainly due to water percolation and exposure to the elements, has caused the slopes to become unstable. This has created a dangerous situation (for) the public,” according to an environment impact report released last week for public consultation.
The project was “pastoral in nature” so its “economic objectives are not of primary and fundamental importance” and people using the car park to go to the law courts or shops would be charged a “nominal flat-rate fee” not related to the duration of the stay.
The report pointed out that the site “is already being used as a makeshift off-road car park, creating an area of disturbed land”.
This change of land use was considered minor but permanent but since it is in an Outside Development Zone, the impact was seen as “major”.
Around 53 cars can use the makeshift parking area and traffic counts revealed that a number of motorists entering the Citadel were not finding a parking space while a substantial number park for less than 30 minutes.
The original proposals included spaces for 113 cars spread over three levels with a small belvedere. However, it had been criticised by environment groups.
New plans were redesigned for a smaller car parking area with 84 spaces, split over two levels, resulting in a reduction both of the total footprint and in its landscape profile.
Its profile was also reduced so that the construction would better merge into the hillside’s existing natural contours, the report said. Any form of bedrock-cutting was eliminated and, instead, the car park would be developed from cut-and-fill operations of the existing debris on site.
The boundaries would include rubble walls.