ERA does not say no to 37-storey tower

While confirming that the 37-storey tower proposed on the ITS site will have a “high adverse residual impact” on the entire cultural landscape of St George’s Bay, the Environment and Resources Authority has not said ‘No’ to the massive development on the ITS site.

The ERA’s approval of the project is conditional on strict monitoring of works on the Ghar Harq Hammiem cave and the development of a tunnel, to avert congestion on existing junctions resulting from 7000 new daily car trips, and thus minimise the impact on air quality.  But the construction of the new Pembroke tunnel also raised concerns over its impact on the Special Area of Conservation under which it will pass.

The project will include a 37-storey residential tower consisting of 162 apartments, a shopping complex, a 900-bed hotel, conference facilities, restaurants, a casino, a wedding reception hall and a Skybar. A report on the EIA acknowledges that a number of impacts of the new development can only be minimised but not eliminated through mitigation measures.

These include the generation of a staggering 350,000 tonnes of excavation waste. Only 50,000 tonnes can be recycled according to studies. Moreover the massing of the development will lead to an adverse impact on the landscape from all viewpoints including those from Mdina, Birgu, Valletta, Gharghur and Pembroke itself.

“The addition of tall buildings to the landscape will have a high residual impact on the entire cultural landscape of the il-Bajja ta’ San Gorg area,

The impact on the underground cave

To minimise the impact on the cave, development in the area overlying the cave will consist of a swimming pool and a public plaza. But ERA has also expressed concerns on the proposed excavation and rock-cutting not just directly above but also in the immediate vicinity of the cave.  

The ERA report warns that although damage to the cave system is unlikely, the risk of this happening is of very high significance as this “would lead to the destruction of a feature (the cave) of unique cultural, scientific, and environmental importance to the Maltese Islands”.

The report refers to studies of the cave system and surrounding geology, including a report by a geo-technical engineer, which outlines various procedures and precautions to ensure that the removal of the rock mass above the cave will not have any adverse effects. The report states that the monitoring process must be undertaken constantly throughout the works to ensure that if necessary these works are updated, modified or even halted.

New tunnel essential

ERA supports the development of a new tunnel to make up for a daily increase in traffic estimated at 7000 extra car trips.  “Without these infrastructural improvements the proposed development will exceed the limitations of the existing highway junctions and lead to an unacceptable increase of air emissions”.

A one-kilometre tunnel is being proposed in Pembroke to access the proposed high-rise developments in St Julian’s. The tunnel would pass below the Special Area of Conservation, which may be disturbed during excavation works. But as long as works follow ERA’s conditions, it is unlikely that the proposal would affect the integrity of the site as a Special Area of Conservation. The report also warns that the nuisance from construction works on the surrounding areas, while temporary, will still last for “a number of years”.

The proposed tunnel

The proposal will consist of an underground by-pass connecting the western edge of Pembroke with Paceville.

Originally experts had proposed a tunnel linking the Sant Andrija junction directly to the St George’s Bay development.  But after discussions with Transport Malta the proposal was revised in a way that the new tunnel will not be connected with the parking facilities of the City Centre development. 

The proposal also foresees a high-capacity grade-separated intersection at the Triq Sant’ Andrija/Triq Suffolk junction and an upgrade of the road network in the western zone of Pembroke. The tunnel would be constructed underneath Triq il-Mediterran in Pembroke.