The planning authority yesterday gave the green light for a T-junction at Qalet Marku on the Coast Road after a proposal for a roundabout at the intersection leading to Magħtab was discarded because of its environmental impact.

When it approved the widening and realignment of the Coast Road project in 2012, the Environment Protection Directorate had said the widening of the Magħtab junction on the same road would use up too much land.

The project falls under the European Ten-T network and aims to reduce accidents at junctions and bends. The road will be turned into a dual two-lane carriageway during works expected to last 18 months.

Acknowledging the need of the project, the directorate said it had a number of “technical concerns” and following discussions with the transport watchdog, the roundabout proposed for the Magħtab junction was eliminated, as suggested by the directorate.

Back in August 2012, this particular stretch of land, which has a protected level one marshland, was kept as a reserved matter in the approved permit for the upgrading, widening and realignment of the road.

Transport Malta was asked to review its proposed plans and find an alternative solution to limit the take-up of land in and around the protected marshland.

Speaking at the public hearing yesterday, TM architect Robert Zerafa said the roundabout would have seen better traffic flow. He explained that with the current T-junction proposal, people will have to drive towards the Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq roundabout or the one next to the Wasteserv site to turn in the other direction.

However, the new proposal struck a balance between the upgrading of the road and the least possible encroachment, he added.

Meanwhile, the directorate reiterated that in the initial application the proposed roundabout junction was taking up a “considerably large amount of land”.

“The current proposal has eliminated the roundabout junction and provides access to the Magħtab residential area from the northbound carriageway through a T-junction.

“This solution has avoided excessive land take-up in the area and can therefore be considered acceptable from an environmental point of view,” it said.

The planning authority board unanimously approved the upgrading of this part of the road.

A parking area servicing the small beach at Qalet Marku also formed part of the approved proposal.

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