Five-fold increase in traffic in Kalkara after Smart City completion

Traffic along Triq il-Missjoni Taljana in Kalkara could increase from the current daily average of 3,978 cars to a staggering 22,151 cars after the completion of all the development envisaged at Smart City – most of which was approved in 2009.

This emerges from the Environment Impact Assessment for the Shoreline project, a 12-storey commercial and residential development over 35,000sq.m of land transferred by Smart City Malta from other areas of its project.

The original Traffic Impact Assessment for the project carried out in 2007 had been based on the assumption that a new link road to Smart City would pass through agricultural land in Zabbar. But this development is now considered “unlikely” according to the EIA.

The majority of traffic will approach as well as leave Smart City from the direction of Kalkara, via Triq Santa Liberta, Triq il-Missjoni Taljana, and Triq Santu Rokku.

On its own, the proposed Shoreline development will contribute to an increase of 1,350 new car trips along Triq il-Missjoni Taljana, over and above what has been approved at Smart City in 2009.

Apart from the Shoreline, the Planning Authority is currently considering an application to revise the Smart City masterplan. No reference is made to these changes in the traffic calculations included in the Shoreline EIA.

Changes proposed to the Smart City masterplan foresee a dramatic increase of 185,864sq.m in the developable floor space of the whole project, over and above what was originally approved in 2008.

Air quality impacts related to the increase in traffic related to the Shoreline development are considered negligible in most cases and moderate in a few cases.

Constructed over 12 levels, the Shoreline development includes apartments and a two-storey commercial complex with retail shops and a supermarket partially located below ground, and a three-storey underground car park.

The EIA indicates that westbound traffic along Triq San Dwardu will increase from the current 13,435 to 24,008 and eastbound traffic along the same road will increase from the current 14,665 to 23,503 as a result of the combined effect of the development approved in 2009 and the Shoreline development.

Traffic along Triq San Nikola in Bormla will increase from the present 17,441 to 24,758. Traffic along Triq Ghajn Dwieli will increase from the current 26,130 to 34,446.

The transfer of residential and commercial space from other areas of Smart City to the Shoreline project now means that the project may be approved before the masterplan is changed.

Rendition of view with Shoreline only

How Smart city will change Xghajra views

The Shoreline project will have an adverse impact on coastal views from the Xgħajra promenade according to the EIA. But the visual impact of the Shoreline development will be somewhat screened by development approved in 2009 which is still to be constructed.

The panoramic view from the Xgħajra coastal promenade towards Smart City is presently dominated by an existing Smart City building and the open views of the rocky coastline.

The Shoreline development on its own will introduce a large building on the coast. But the building will only be partially visible amongst the rest of the development already approved as part of the original Smart City project, although it rises higher than adjacent buildings closer to the coast.

The Smart City development will also have a considerable impact on views from both Fort Rinella and Fort Ricasoli. Presently the view from these two historical locations consists of semi-natural and rural environment with the Smart City development in the background. The Shoreline will rise behind the ridge, but this impact will be eclipsed by development approved in 2009 which still has to take place.

The coastal view of Kalkara from the Chalet in Sliema will also change significantly with the Shoreline development having a marked impact.