Wied Bufula threatened by change in St Paul’s Bay zoning

The flow of water along the Wied Bufula valley in St Paul’s Bay could be further interrupted with the construction of new dwellings, the Ramblers Association has warned.

This is because a planning application presented by Mario Debono on behalf of Wied Bufula Developments Limited is proposing a change in zoning by removing a schemed road, creating a pedestrian route to link Triq San Pawl and Triq Ghajn Rasul and designating a new zone for residential development.

Wied Bufula is considered as a strategic watercourse in a built-up area.

Although only a small portion of the site is located outside development zones, the area is protected because of its hydrological importance as it serves as an outlet of a valley known as Wied Bufula.

The Ramblers Association contends that the proposed changed will have a greater negative impact than the planned road, both aesthetically and hydrologically.

“Restricting the outlet will augment the rush of water in heavy downpours with likely unwarranted consequences”.

The organisation also claims that the application will impact on a government culvert at the outlet of the valley that diverts the waterflow directly to the sea.

The proposed pedestrian route is being proposed along the side of Sqaq il-Ward.