Cart ruts pose obstacle to Ghadira Beach concession

The objection is motivated by the presence of a tract of prehistoric cart ruts on the site.

The long-dormant application first presented seven years ago was reissued for public consultation on 9 March and the applicant has presented new plans.

The proposal retains most of the sandy soil, includes underground shower and changing rooms located beneath the promenade and the removal of an existing concrete path set to be replaced by a "barefoot friendly path" made of compact earth.  It also includes various areas covered with demountable timber decking.

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage informed MEPA that the application in its current form is still "unacceptable" because the proposed works will cover the archeologically sensitive area, which will adversely impact the prehistoric cart ruts present on the site.

Louis Vella noted the curt ruts in a report in 2009. Following an inspection by the Superintendence the Malta Environment and Planning Authority scheduled the cart ruts in December 2010.

The area includes a tract of cart ruts running for approximately 100 meters along the foreshore. The superintendence also noted the presence of shallow quarrying that might be associated with the curt ruts.

The Mellieha Holiday Centre, which includes a minimal 0.7% shareholding by the General Workers Union, was given a beach concession on a part of Ghadira Beach by a Labour government in 1986.

For the next decade, the area was left in its natural state and the only construction made was the building a tunnel connecting the complex to the beach.

The proposed beach concession was rejected twice by MEPA because it would hinder public access to the coastline - a principle enshrined in Malta's Structure Plan.

But the company has always insisted that it does not intend to hinder the public's access to the beach.

The first application for the proposed beach concession was rejected by MEPA in December 2001. The application proposed the building of stores, toilets, a snack bar and decks for sunbathing. Another application presented in 2002 proposed the building of a kiosk, sunbathing decks, showers and a jetty. The application was rejected in September 2004 but an appeal against MEPA's refusal was only concluded in May 2012.

In the appeal, the developer's architect insisted that the proposal did not include any fixed structures and therefore had no impact on the environment.

In his submissions, the developers' architect insisted that it seems very ironic that this space is made use of in a completely uncontrollable manner by the public at large, with irrevocable damage to the fauna and flora of the area, and this is in fact permitted, while this attempt to clean up and monitor the state of this beach section in a controlled manner is discouraged. The appeal on this particular application was rejected, but MEPA - which is still processing the application - presented it in 2006.