(Updated 3.20 p.m. with Din l-Art Helwa objection)
Transport Minister Austin Gatt this morning defended government plans to build a new road from Ghadira to Marfa, saying it was needed as part of the EU’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN T) and to protect Ghadira beach from erosion.
The project raised a storm of protest when it was revealed in the Sunday papers three days ago.The plan is for the new road to stretch from behind the Danish village to the (green) caravan site.
Dr Gatt said the government acknowledged that sections of the road would have to run over garigue but denied opposition claims that it would cut right through the Foresta 2000 grove.
He said the issue first started to be discussed in June with MEPA, the Danish Village and BirdLife, in view of the Ghadira nature reserve. The operators of the Danish Village rejected the proposal immediately while BirdLife said they would consider the various options.
Dr Gatt said doing nothing would mean that Malta would lose significant funds and, more importantly, in the future, it risked losing Ghadira beach to erosion.
Former Transport Minister Jesmond Mugliett at one time had proposed upgrading the existing road, which was good for the Ten T project but would not stop the beach erosion, the minister said.
A proposed bridge from the caravan site to the Danish Village was ruled out because it would disturb the nature reserve, while a tunnel would endanger the water table.
He said the new road would, for the most part, follow an existing trail, however the government was prepared to hear all options. Once the road was built, the existing road would be removed and the beach extended.
Din l-Art Helwa in a statement this afternoon said it strongly objected to the planned new road.
"The proposed road would cut through a protected and sensitive stretch of open countryside, and open the way to further development in an area that lies outside the development zone.
"The current traffic situation on the existing Ghadira road is not serious enough to warrant the destruction of protected countryside. Apart from the environmental damage that would be caused, Din l-Art Helwa sees no real justification for this project to go ahead," the NGO said.
See also
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081123/local/objection-to-proposed-ghadira-road