St Julian’s waterpolo club revises land reclamation plans

The St Julian’s waterpolo club has submitted fresh plans for a waterpolo pitch and commercial development on reclaimed land. However, the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage (SCH) has raised concerns, noting that while the plans reduce the footprint of the sea reclamation area, they propose an increase in volume along the promenade area.

Compared to plans submitted five years ago, the amount of land reclaimed from the sea has been reduced by about 1,000sq.m, down from the 3,200sq.m originally envisaged in the previous application, which has since been withdrawn.

The project still includes an extensive pool deck area to accommodate a new waterpolo pitch, a restaurant with a table and chairs area, a lido for sunbeds, and additional club facilities. However, plans for a second pool, as originally proposed, have been dropped. Moreover, a proposed lighthouse at the breakwater’s bullnose is to be replaced by a flagpole with a light on top.

The Environment and Resources Authority’s assessment of the previous plans found that the project would have led to the permanent loss of around 1,089sq.m of Posidonia Meadow beds, as well as 835sq.m of matte seagrass. Seagrasses, like trees on land, play a vital role in sustaining life by oxygenating the sea around them, thus serving as its ‘lungs’.

At the time of the first application, ERA concluded that the project could only proceed if the encroachment on the seagrasses was reduced. It also called for a reduction in the scale of the project to mitigate its visual impact.

Commenting on the latest proposal, ERA highlighted the ‘downscaling’ of the previous plan, noting the reduced footprint of the reclaimed area. This adjustment, ERA stated, aligns with the guidance provided by the ERA board during a public meeting in August 2023. However, ERA has now requested the submission of updated photomontages before providing further comments on the application.

In its response to the latest plans, the SCH warned that the introduction of additional volumes at the promenade level could increase negative visual impacts and interfere with the views and sightlines of several scheduled properties within the bay, notably the Balluta Church and St Julian’s Tower and Battery.

The SCH also recommended further steps to assess the archaeological sensitivity of the seabed and called for a Landscape Visual Impact Assessment.

The club currently lacks a permanent pool structure that can be used in adverse weather conditions.

In its 2017 election programme, the Labour Party pledged “to enter into discussions with the St Julian’s club to consider the possibility of constructing a pool.” The St Julian’s local council also supported the application.

However, environmentalists have raised concerns about the scale of the project, its impact on marine life in the bay, and the potential use of the new jetty by boats.