Jogging through history in Cottonera

A proposed regional park in Cottonera will make it possible to jog or walk all the way from Ghajn Dwieli in Fgura to Is-Sur ta’ San Alwigi  in Zabbar, giving residents and visitors the opportunity to appreciate this feature of Maltese history.

But the project also includes a cacophony of other developments ranging from beach volley to zip lines, which have raised the concern of the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage.

The jogging path will link all the historical forts in the area including Is-Sur ta’ San Alwigi, Is-Sur ta’ San Gakbu, Bieb Haz-Zabbar, Is-Sur ta’ San Klement, Is-Sur ta’ San Nikola, Bieb il-Polverista, Is-Sur ta’ San Gwann and Is-Sur ta’ San Pawl.

The plans for the new regional park in Cottonera

Apart from the jogging trail, plans for the regional park also envisage numerous sports and recreational facilities including a zip line, a dog park, beach volley, picnic areas
and other amenities.

The original plans, which have yet to be replaced by new ones, include a controversial dirt race track in Ghajn Dwieli. Following protests by residents the government announced that the park will not include a race track.

But both the Environment and Resources Authority and the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage are calling for more details on the proposed development.

While describing the proposed park as a “positive development”, the Superintendence questioned “whether excavations for structure foundations, services for amenities including toilets, kiosks, fountains, lights are necessary”. It is also not clear “whether any of the proposed adventure structures and zip line will have any visual impact on the fortifications”.

ERA has also asked for a full list documenting the trees in the area after noting that the project “may involve interventions on trees protected in accordance with the Trees and Woodland Protection Regulations.”

Nature Trust has also expressed concern about the trees on the site, insisting that only alien trees are removed and replaced with indigenous local trees.

“Any indigenous trees on site must remain on site and not removed or translocated”.

The site was identified as one of a number of “public urban open spaces” in the South Malta Local Plan. These sites can be “upgraded” for public recreational facilities in the form of children play areas or landscaped seating areas for use by the general public. The open nature of these sites has to be retained and only low key environmental improvements can be allowed.

Cottonera green belt

The area constitutes a green belt area located in front of the Cottonera Lines running from Paola, through Fgura, Bormla, Zabbar and up to Kalkara. The Cottonera Line of fortifications was devised in the seventeenth century by the military architect and engineer Maurizio Valperga. Named after Grand Master Nicolo Cottoner, the patron and driving force behind the project, these fortifications were aimed to protect the three cities and the south-eastern approach to the Grand Harbour and Valletta. Left in an unfinished state, this line of fortifications lacks most of the planned ravelins, ditches and outer-works.

In the early eighteenth century, numerous gates were added according to the design of Romano Carapecchia. Subsequently the areas in front of these fortifications were converted into agricultural fields and hunting grounds. Today, the Cottonera lines green belt is one of the few surviving natural areas located near the Grand Harbour.

These lines, together with other forts and fortification lines around the Grand Harbour, are designated as Grade 1 scheduled monuments by the Planning Authority and form part of the Grand Harbour Area of High Landscape Value. The Grand Harbour line of fortifications has also been proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.