Balluta Bay pedestrian stairs embellishment to cost €450,000

An embellishment exercise on Balluta Bay’s Joe Attard Kingswell access stairs is set to cost government €450,000.

Announced on Monday by the Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia, the project is being fully financed by the Planning Authority’s (PA) Development Planning Fund, and will see a complete redesign of the existing area.

“We are working towards creating livable environments and happier communities. Through various initiatives, we are creating and encouraging better recreational areas and healthier urban environments,” Farrugia said.

Present at the press conference was Martin Saliba, the PA’s Executive Council Chairman. He said that the PA was “at the forefront to promote urban plans through the planning fund”, and added that the new project will transform the current public area into an open space that will complement the Balluta Square.

The project is set to include a landscaping scheme to break up the existing steep slope, while creating a terraced layout.

A water-feature will flow down the length of the site, and the terraced area will be fitted with non-slip paving and wooden seat benches. A chair lift will also be installed for added mobility.

The site in question stands between a row of Grade 2 townhouses and the Grade 1 Balluta church to the north of it, and the Grade 1 Balluta Buildings towards the south.

Apart from the St Julian’s project, another five embellishment projects will take place in three other localities. These five projects will together cost €433,000 - less than the Balluta project.

In Mosta, the Planning Authority will finance the refurbishment of two public gardens and the repaving of a pedestrian alley in the vicinity of the locality’s football ground.

For these gardens, the PA will fund up to €288,000 on new playground equipment, rubber flooring and other embellishment works.

An added €95,000 will be dedicated to the reconstruction of a new footpath along Triq il-Kappillan Mifsud in Ħamrun, which connects the are to Santa Venera.

Another project in Gozo will see the PA fund €40,000 for new paving and embellishment works in Triq il-Kunċizjoni in Qala.