Ghaxaq Shopping mall roundabout: TM accepts to limit developers’ contribution to 49%

The Planning board will be meeting on 25 July to determine whether the Schembri Barbros group should pay the full cost of a new roundabout next to a proposed shopping mall along Triq tal-Barrani.

When approving the project in principle through an outline permit approved in March, the Planning board had tied the development to a condition stating that the roundabout junction at the site’s access has to be “upgraded and completed prior to the commencement of works on the commercial hub development”  and  that “the expenses to the highway upgrading are to be fully borne by the developer.”

But the Schembri Barbros Group has called on the Planning Authority to revise this condition describing it as one which is “not fair and equitable” and one which “does not reflect the transport impact of the approved development”.

Instead of paying in full for the roundabout the developers are proposing that their financial contribution should be capped to reflect the development’s “share of network traffic” which, according to a Traffic Impact Assessment stands at around 22%.

The group also proposed that any reference to “highway upgrading” is removed to ensure that the expense is limited to the creation of a new roundabout and does not include other infrastructural expenses.

In its reply to the group’s argument Transport Malta said that while it is willing to accept an adjustment of the financial contribution “to better reflect the incremental traffic impact of the proposed development” on the network, the calculation should reflect the share of traffic created by the new shopping mall during peak hour, which amounts to 49% and not to 22% as proposed Schembri Barbros.

Moreover, TM also clarified that the developer’s contribution will be limited to works related to the new roundabout and not to any other infrastructural works in the area.

The PA will be taking a final decision on the request by the shopping mall developers on 18 July. But in his report while accepting that the contribution should be limited to the cost of the roundabout, the case officer still said that the expenses “are to be fully borne by the developer”.

According to the approved plans , the retail and leisure complex will be built over three floors on a footprint of 14,220sq.m. Two levels of underground parking are set to accommodate 1,014 parking spaces.

Apart from shops, the shopping hub will include anunderground gymnasium and a childcare centre. The upper floor will include food, beverage and retail outlets.The existing Lidl supermarket will be retained and enlarged.

The developers are now expected to present a full development application based on the parameters established in the outline permit.

Schembri Barbros Limited is owned by Barbros Group Limited which is owned by Ephriam, Anton, Carmelo, Franridge and Mary Schembri, Claudine Barbara and Josephine Guntrip.