Local council objects to Balluta land reclamation plans

The St Julian's local council has announced it will be objecting to the land reclamation plans for Balluta, after this newspaper revealed plans to create a new "beach" on reclaimed land are being proposed as part of a project to extend the existing deck at the Neptune's water polo pitch.

In a statement, the local council said that no swimming zone in St Julian's should be granted to the private sector as the public bathing area in San Giljan was already restricted.

"In the public's interest, the St Julian's local council will not accept that access for the swimming site area is denied to the public," the council said, adding that it had been long insisting that public interest should be protected.

The formation of a 'wave-spending beach' is being proposed as a measure to reduce wave turbulence, which is typical of this area during northeasterly storms.

A Project Development Statement, presented by the water polo club, claims that the creation of the new beach will make the coastline more accessible to the public.

Presently the foreshore stops at the north end of the water polo pitch.

The stretch of coast affected by the project is wedged in between the existing Neptune's water polo pitch and a newly-built embankment in Main Street, St Julian's. The PDS claims that the reclamation of this wedge shaped basin and its wave-spending beach will also make the sustainable re-nourishment of the beach at Balluta Bay possible.

On the other hand, the extension of the deck will enable club members to enjoy longer hours of sunshine.

"The nine-storey buildings built recently on the other side of the road have virtually obliterated the afternoon sun," the PDS states. 

The deck extension will have longer hours of sunshine since buildings on that stretch of road are "scheduled two storey high houses, which are recessed away from the promenade".

The reclamation will cover a footprint of sea south an area equivalent to 490m2, out of which 150m2 will be dedicated to a wave spending beach, which will dissipate the wave energy to reduce the turbulence in the rest of Balluta Bay. 

The land reclamation project would involve the placing of 30 precast three-metre wide, two-metre long and one-meter high concrete blocks, which will form the new sea wall.  800 tonnes of Coralline limestone Rock armor will be placed in front of the seawall by a 100-tonne crane on floating barge. 1,000m3 of quarry run globigerina limestone backfill will be placed behind sea wall and compacted in layers.