Sheltered Ta’ Qali farmers’ market could include restaurant

A restaurant is being proposed in an upgraded and sheltered farmers’ market at Ta’ Qali, that will only operate during the market’s opening hours.

Indeed the restaurant will have to be dismantled if the market ever ceases its operations, according to a condition being proposed by the Planning Authority’s case officer assessing the government project.

The PA has yet to take a final decision on the application presented by Ian Borg’s Infrastructure Ministry, which envisages an upgrade of the Ta’ Qali market through the erection of a tent structure to shelter people from sunshine and rainfall, but also includes a restaurant with outside tables and chairs.

Since a current policy on development in Ta’ Qali forbids the erection of permanent structures in this area, the case officer is recommending that all new structures on site can only be related to “temporary market activity”; once that activity stops, all structures on site would have to be removed at the expense of the developer.

On Tuesday, the PA’s planning commission postponed its decision after calling on the ministry to submit new design options for the proposed restaurant. A final decision will be taken on 5 November.

Works will include the erection of a platform, a shelter for the market to protect against inclement weather, and a new layout for the market.

Farmers will be using a service drive lane to bring in their produce and will be allocated designated zones to park their lorries.

They will also be assigned display zones marked with different flooring materials.

Water and electrical services will be available for every display zone. Cars will not be allowed to use a designated car park outside the market hours.

730sq.m of photovoltaic panels will also be installed on the concrete roof panes forming the shelters.

The farmers’ market is set over 15,600sq.m of land which was used as an air-plane parking zone during British rule. It presently opens on Tuesdays and Saturdays.