Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1339768
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 FEBRUARY 2021 10 NEWS FARMERS, residents and ac- tivists in Burmarrad joined forces on the site of agricul- tural land and a nearby res- ervoir in danger of being lost due to proposed road works by Infrastructure Malta. Infrastructure Malta for- mally presented plans to build a roundabout right next to the site of a proposed supermarket, outside devel- opment zones, in Burmarrad. The supermarket is being proposed by Bonnici Broth- ers Ltd on agricultural land between Triq is-Sardin and Triq Burmarrad. The supermarket had orig- inally been presented in September 2018 but then suspended for the past two years. New plans reactivating the two-storey supermarket were presented on 10 De- cember 2020, with an under- ground carpark for 179 cars. But IM also launched a pub- lic consultation on plans to upgrade the junction at the corner between Triq is-Sar- din and Triq Burmarrad, which will require the expro- priation of 139sq.m of agri- cultural land, which includes an old reservoir and the up- rooting of two Cypress trees and an Orange cross tree. The activists said the pro- posed roundabout would destroy arable land that has been worked for genera- tions, as well as destroying a 500-year old reservoir that the farmers of the area rely on for water in the summer months. "A fragile watercourse that supplies the water to the reservoir, as well as supply- ing water all the way down to Salini, is also in the path of destruction. The claim by Infrastructure Malta that the reservoir will not be de- stroyed is ridiculous since it is impossible to shift a 500-year-old reservoir and its mechanism without de- stroying it?" the activists said. The application for the su- permarket on ODZ received widespread criticism when the plans were announced. But Bonnici Brothers also have other plans for the area, with a Planning Control (PC) application that would allow for several residential blocks to be built in the same area if the permit goes through. Bonnici Brothers hare reg- ular contractors for Infra- structure Malta, receiving a total of €7,716,269.75 in con- tracts and direct orders in 2020 and 2021. "Moviment Graffitti con- demns the additional uptake of farmland and the use of taxpayers' money to build a roundabout that is only there to serve the needs of Bonnici Brothers, as well as the use of ODZ land for a supermarket in an area which is already well served," spokesperson Andre Callus said. There are currently over 5,600 objections against the proposed roundabout, mak- ing it clear that people do not want or need these road works. "Professionals have de- scribed the proposed round- about as 'senseless' since the new roundabout would be sandwiched between anoth- er dangerous roundabout, recently built on the same road, and the Burmarrad church. The St. Paul's Bay Local Council has also come out against the road works and the application for the supermarket. "Therefore, Moviment Graffitti expects Infrastruc- ture Malta to immediately and definitively withdraw plans for the proposed roundabout, which is clearly aimed at servicing the Bon- nici Brothers' ODZ develop- ment. It also expects the PA Board to refuse the obscene application for the ODZ supermarket," Callus said. ticularly in the light of simi- lar land grabs in Dingli, Im- rieħel, Luqa and other areas. Farmers from these localities were in fact also with us to show their solidarity with Burmarrad farmers," Callus added. Burmarrad farmers join Graffitti in new front on road plans CONTACT Adriana Farrugia or Erika Arrigo on 21382741 for sponsorship opportunities SCAN THIS CODE USING A QR SCANNER APP TO WATCH THE LATEST EPISODE ON YOUR SMARTPHONE