Conservation experts have raised concerns that excavation works for the planned Malta-Gozo tunnel could impact the historic Red Tower in Mellieħa.
Government plans for a 13-kilometre-long tunnel between Manikata and Nadur would run directly below the 17th-century tower, now being restored by Din l-Art Ħelwa.
Architect Edward Said, part of the restoration team, told the Times of Malta the area surrounding the tower was historically known to be afflicted by geological problems.
These issues, he said, were evidenced by cracks in the tower’s structure, which had been repaired several times over the years and which were being monitored.
“As a conservation architect, I am very concerned about the prospect of excavation beneath the tower,” Mr Said admitted.
We are appealing to the authorities for information about the plans
“At this stage, we don’t know how far beneath the tunnel it will be but this is a consideration that must be addressed as part of the project. Similarly, there should be an appraisal of other historic structures that may be afflicted by the same phenomenon.”
Din l-Art Ħelwa’s outgoing president, Maria Grazia Cassar, said the organisation was concerned about the lack of information on key aspects of the project, even as the government made clear its intentions to forge ahead with the project and issue a call for tenders in the coming months.
“It clearly would not be desirable to have vibrations underneath the tower,” Ms Cassar said.
“We are appealing to the authorities for information about the plans, including the route and the depth.”
The Red Tower restoration, which is EU-funded and supported by the Malta Tourism Authority, includes extensive work on both the building’s interior and exterior and is planned to be completed around July.
Thirteen NGOs last week issued a joint call for the government not to race forward with the tunnel plans until further studies on the project’s social, economic and environmental impacts were held.
A decision on whether a tunnel was the best solution to Gozo’s challenges could only be established after serious studies and public consultation, the groups said. They also lamented the lack of public information, saying people did not have access to studies cited by the government.
Critics of the tunnel have raised concerns over the effect of in-creased traffic on the sister island, environmental impacts at the entrance and exit points and the massive amount of construction waste the project would generate.
Social impact studies, however, have consistently pointed to high levels of public support.
About 82 per cent of Gozitan respondents were in favour of the tunnel in a 2017 assessment and a later study found similar results among Maltese people.