Concern over Citadel car park
Photomontage of the revised scheme design (2010).
The planning authority’s environment arm has criticised a proposal by the Gozo Curia to transform fields around the Citadel into a car park.
The Environment Protection Directorate “has significant concerns about the permanent land take-up associated with the car park, particularly due to the close proximity to the Citadel,” it said in a report.
The directorate also disagreed with a conclusion in the environment assessment report – which forms part of a development application being considered by the planning authority – that the change in land use from “natural vegetation to a car park is of minor significance”.
“The car park will entail significant land take-up in a sensitive area and the site is also a candidate for inclusion on the Unesco World Heritage List,” the directorate said.
The Curia intends to develop a parking area with 84 spaces, split over two levels, and to stabilise the slopes at the site outside the Citadel in an area known as Ir-Raba’ Ta’ Wara s-Sur.
The land covers 6,000 square metres over three terraced levels and falls outside the development zone in Victoria. It is also designated as a Special Area of Conservation and Area of High Landscape Value.
The Curia-commissioned report justified the project as presenting “an opportunity to enhance accessibility to the Citadel by providing parking spaces and strengthening the bastions by creating stabilised slopes”.
Over the years, the slopes were made unstable by runoff water from the rain and exposure to the elements, creating a “potential risk to public safety”.
The Curia also said 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 site “is already being used as a makeshift off-road car park, creating an area of disturbed land”.
However, the environment unit said the development of the car park went against the National Environment Policy for development in historic sites and areas through planning permission, because of the significant visual impact on the landscape.
“The presence of the illegal ‘temporary’ car park does not justify the need for a new car park in the area and, despite improvements in the overall design of the proposal, the impact on the cultural landscape is still of major adverse significance,” the directorate said.
The original proposals included spaces for 113 cars spread over three levels with a small belvedere. However, it had been criticised by environment groups and it was downsized.
The environment directorate said it agreed with the report’s conclusion that the development would have a significant adverse visual impact particularly with medium and long distance of the site.
It also noted that the Curia’s report conceded that the project would “destroy part of the natural terracing, which is retained by well-preserved rubble walls, altering what is until now an undeveloped area”.
However, even though no cultural features were identified during the site survey, the presence of other archaeological sites in the vicinity, such as the Bronze Age silos at It-Telgħa tal-Belt, the remains of medieval fortifications in the ravelin in front of the Citadel, and the remains at Triq l-Imgħallem, “suggest a likely existence of additional buried remains that may be impacted by the development and lead to their eventual loss”.
The car park is expected to lead to “another scar in the cultural landscape” and was a major significant impact, the directorate said.
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28 Comments
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George Mercieca
Dec 28th 2012, 16:02
B. Storace, please note, that in Gozo like in Malta, people are getting older not just lazy.
St George has nothing to do with it!
Rev. George Mercieca
Eric Soames
Dec 28th 2012, 16:02
I can't believe that they want to throw up a two-storey bunker to mar that magnificent view.
Rich Natsud
Dec 28th 2012, 12:41
Its about time that someone start making Do's and not always Dont's.
In Victoria more than 65 parking spaces has been removed ,together with the parking lot which parts of it has been forwarded to Tourists Buses as an alternative when the TM designed the Arriva Bus Terminus.Its Time To Do .... if it is the intention to give the City RABAT some life, unless it is otherwise ?
S Muscat
Dec 28th 2012, 13:02
If you want a decent parking in Rabat someone with senses should dig underneath the existence parking lot and more space for cars will be created and not ruining pristine land for the excuse of a parking lot!!!!
George Mercieca
Dec 28th 2012, 11:53
S.Cachia said it all. No need for more information.
Who is an outsider cannot understand the situation!
Rev. George Mercieca
Victoria
Sue Portelli
Dec 28th 2012, 12:45
George Mercieca you make me laugh! You say there's no need for more information but I'm sorry to disagree but the public has a right to know as with any other MEPA application, and contrary to what you said it is very simple for even common people to understand the situation; the church is operating an ILLEGAL parking which it is trying to sanction and make a profit out of...
Sue Portelli
Dec 28th 2012, 12:48
whether the reason being pastoral or not is no excuse there are many other churches were mass can be celebrated and the parking is rarely occupied by church-goers anyways!
Bernard Portelli
Victoria
B. Storace
Dec 28th 2012, 13:35
Ever since the church existed the faithful have managed to meander uphill for the service(s). Obviously people are getting lazy and need transport to the front door. Organise parking elsewhere and shuttle the faithful. I believe this is an ego trip in trying to get one-upmanship on the parish of St Gorg. They have no parking facilities and I hear no moans and groans. Help to keep ECO-Gozo please.
Victor Borg
Dec 28th 2012, 23:50
The reverent's comment is very arrogant. I am not an outsider; I am a Maltese national, and I have every right to have a say in what happens in my country - I strongly believe that a car park at the base of the fortifications of the Citadel actually impinges on the rural environment there and also on the Citadel itself. I don't mind parking elsewhere and walking.
william cauchi
Dec 28th 2012, 11:31
Has anybody heard of park and ride?
Why do we always need to park our car just a few meters away from our destination especially if we are spending some time there.
Many Italian cities offer such a service and most of them offer a free ride to the pedestrian centre but charge a small amount for the parking.
Jo Woodall
Dec 28th 2012, 12:38
Fully agree! Park and ride is everywhere now, so why not Victoria?
Victor Borg
Dec 28th 2012, 11:02
An illegal car park has existed on the site for several years. Why hasn't the Planning Authority ordered the owner of the land - the Gozo Curia - to rehabilitate the land to its prior state? Is the Curia above the law?
Victor Borg
Dec 28th 2012, 10:58
I find it incredible that the Catholic Church in Malta can come up with these environmentally-destructive schemes in 2012? This carpark is not only destructive. It is also not needed: people can park in the Rabat main carpark and walk the 10 minutes to the Citadel - many of us need the exercise anyway. What does the church environment commission think? Fallen asleep?
joe attard
Dec 28th 2012, 10:35
Why cannot the visual impact be rectified by means of landscaping, tree planting?
Anthony farrugia
Dec 28th 2012, 10:14
after raping the fields on the way to ramla, now the gozo curia wants to destroy the fields around the citadel. with god's blessing i suppose.
S Muscat
Dec 28th 2012, 11:11
Prosit Mr.Farrugia. They do not care. All they care is about the millions they are going to gain!!! And amazingly many people agree with this destruction!!
Keith Fisher
Dec 28th 2012, 11:36
I hope all these people who are against these projects supposedly for environmental reasons leave their own vehicles at home and walk everywhere. I have no wish to see Gozo disappear under a a sea of carparks but the facts are there is an ever increasing ownership of cars etc and they all have to go somewhere.
B. Storace
Dec 28th 2012, 13:38
Have you already forgotten the rape of virgin land happening at this very moment outside Ta' Pinu Sanctuary. And for a car park too. Another Holy project with God's blessing I'm sure.
james micallef
Dec 28th 2012, 09:59
What do you do with an illegal car park which has been in use for many years? You make it legal or you close it no?
S. Cachia
Dec 28th 2012, 09:57
An aspect of the project which I think is fundamental in order to understand the need of this car park is the fact that in the Citadel, the Gozo diocese has its Cathedral Church which is also the Parish Church of around 4000 people. Celebrations marking the liturgical (and social) life of Gozo are held there but people are unable to attend due lack of parking facilities and steep slopes to climb.
Simon Robinson
Dec 28th 2012, 12:32
A simple shuttle sevice from a convienient location should negate the need to ruin unspoilt land
Franco Farrugia
Dec 28th 2012, 09:55
The Gozo Curia has previously shown itself to act arrogantly and run rough-shod in what concerns environmental concerns.
Roderick Caruana
Dec 28th 2012, 09:40
so much for Eco Gozo.
P Mangion
Dec 28th 2012, 09:20
why not move the court house out of the citadel to a location which is more appropriate and accessible? secondly, many old fortified cities and castles around Europe do not allow private cars anywhere close - instead visitors would either walk or else take other forms of transport such as mini trains on rubber wheels.
if the curia wants to strenghten the bastions, than it should just do that.
anthony sultana
Dec 28th 2012, 09:29
agree
M Abdilla
Dec 28th 2012, 09:13
Is the Curia serious??? Since when does the Curia need a car park??
Franco Farrugia
Dec 28th 2012, 09:56
Emm.... the Curia needs the car park so that people would be able to park their cars in order to go for Mass at the Cathedral.
Giorgio Greco
Dec 28th 2012, 09:11
"The Curia also said 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."
If it's not economic reasons then why are they doing the car park for?
J. Vella
Dec 28th 2012, 12:30
i dont want to call you by any names but you said it in your same statement , why the car park is needed!!! The car park is need so people can attend the functions at the cathedral.... " the curia also said the project was pastoral in nature"....
Please choose the reason of your report below: