Iklin says no to Balal car wash

The local council of Iklin has warned against a proposal for a car wash and kiosk with sitting area, adjacent to the Liquid nightclub, saying it will increase traffic flows to the area.

The site is a walled vacant plot outside the development zones, overlooking the five-arm roundabout on the Tal-Balal road of San Gwann.

The entrance to the car wash is on the Tal-Balal road just off the roundabout, while the exit will be a narrow rural road, Triq il-Ħwawar, which leads either towards Iklin or back to the roundabout.

The Iklin council is objecting to the application due to its implications on traffic flow and safety, and the sprawl outside the building zones. It warned that if the development is given the go-ahead, cars will exit onto the rural road where the sight-lines onto the roundabout are “already significantly compromised”.

Transport Malta has yet to declare its opinion on the proposal, but has asked the Planning Authority to establish whether a transport study is required for this proposal.

The Malta Tourism Authority has also objected to the development on the basis of its standard policy against any new kiosk not part of a wider project that is of benefit to the community.

Site owner Andrew Gauci presented the application.

The PA recently rejected the installation of billboards on the same site, this time presented by Aria club owner Dominic Micallef. The decision was confirmed on appeal in 2018, with the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal warning of the danger of the billboards to traffic. There had been no clearance from Transport Malta, which had failed to give any feedback on the application.

The present application also foresees the erection of advertising billboards. It is one of several ODZ applications proposed on Tal-Balal, including one for a warehouse instead of a rural dwelling right opposite the proposed car wash. Further down the road, a supermarket and DIY centre are being proposed by JDG Holdings Ltd. Another application foresees the development of eight workshops and nine warehouses in a disused quarry opposite the proposed car wash.

A car wash is already located less than 1km away at the VC petrol station, which houses a McDonalds outlet.