NEWS | Wednesday, 26 November 2008

PRINT THIS ARTICLE

James Debono
The Labour Party is calling on the government to abandon plans for a road linking Mellieha and Cirkewwa which passes right through a Natura 2000 site that is protected by the EU’s Habitats and Birds directives, and which includes sections of the much publicised Foresta 2000 afforestation project including the protected garigue area.
Ironically the new road will involve asphalting part of the same Foresta 2000 project, which was the target of vandals in May 2007.
The road is part of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), a fund to improve road communications across the EU’s member states.
“We appeal to the Maltese authorities to withdraw any plans which threaten the Foresa 2000 project,” Labour’s spokesperson for the environment, sustainable development and climate change Leo Brincat said in a statement.
While the new road will not result in the uprooting of the newly planted trees, it will definitely affect garigue areas and agricultural land included in Foresta 2000, which covers 104 hectares between the Red Tower and the Danish Village in Mellieha.
“The proposed project cuts through a Natura 2000 site, it cuts through the Foresta 2000 afforestation project and the elevated road will be just 100 meters from the nature reserve,” Birdlife executive director Tolga Temuge said. BirdLife’s bird sanctuary is right beside the Danish Village.
According to Temuge the project cannot get any funding from the EU because it will disturb habitats protected by EU law.
The proposed single carriage road linking the Seabank hotel to Cirkewwa is set to replace the existing four-lane coast-road, which will make way for an enlarged promenade.
The proposed road will directly affect the fortunes of the Danish Village holiday complex as it will pass just 15 metres from some of its bungalows.
It will also result in the demolition of the Ghadira boathouses which were granted a permit in the 1970s. According to Brincat, the fact that the government is considering these plans shows its insensitivity to habitats protected by European law.
Another road from the TEN-T network is being earmarked for the Mizieb and l-Imbordin area to link up with Mellieha.
The controversial Xemxija bypass may become a reality, because a 900-apartment construction atop Xemxija Hill would generate so much traffic as to make the road, already under pressure from traffic to and from Gozo, literally unable to sustain the additional pressure.
The proposed road will partly utilise an already established route, starting from Triq Ghajn Tuffieha to Xemxija road, to Mizieb across the Pwales Valley, close to the agricultural areas of Ta’ Gannaru and l-Imbordin. It then connects to a 545-metre tunnel, under the Xaghra ta’ L-Ghansar ridge, and a small flyover bridge up to the existing Mellieha road.
But the new project raises concerns about the ecological impact on a scheduled area which serves as a buffer zone to the Simar reserve. In January, MEPA scheduled Simar, which includes parts of Pwales, Simar, l-Imbordin, Ta’ Gannaru, ix-Xaghra ta’ l-Ghansar and Ta’ Rkuplu.

jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt

PRINT THIS ARTICLE

Any comments?
If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click button below.
Please write a contact number and a postal address where you may be contacted.