St Julian’s residents, council, NGOs appeal Balluta Bay ferry landing

Residents, the local council and non-governmental organizations have appealed the planning authority’s decision to approve the Fortina Group’s ferry landing in Balluta Bay.

In early March, the Planning Commission had approved a permit for the construction of a ferry landing place in Balluta Bay, proposed by the Fortina Group, despite indicating that it would be refusing the application.

Eighty-seven appellants, including the St Julian’s Local Council, residents and NGOs Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar, Futur Ambjent Wieħed, Green House and Moviment Graffitti rallied together to appeal the Planning Authority decision.

"This is a difficult time for the country," said a spokesperson, "but we are steadfast in our commitment to save Balluta Bay from becoming another port”.

The appellants argued that the bay is one of the remaining few, where bathers can swim, kayak, dive for free, and stated that a “massive catamaran entering and leaving the bay 21 times a day”, would render the area unsafe.

“The applicant can easily propose the relocation of the jetty to a safe location which is not a bathing area. Why does the public always have to give up its open space? We will fight on so that the public can still have its bay to enjoy,” a statement read.

The project involves berthing facilities for a hop-on hop-off ferry service in Balluta Bay run by the Fortina Group.

The decision was postponed last month after the commission indicated that it would be refusing the project on policy grounds.

The two reasons for refusal were that the project is located in close proximity to an area designated as a coastal area with leisure uses and will be incompatible with the other adjacent water uses as stipulated by two local plan policies.

The proposal was also deemed to be in breach of the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED) which seeks to ensure that new developments do not create risk hazards through design and location.

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