Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1409324
16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWS JAMES DEBONO THE Environment Health Di- rectorate is not objecting to a proposed 'temporary' cara- van site on part of the disused coast road at Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, provided that a number of conditions which include the prohibition of bathing in the area, are adhered to. The proposed caravan site is being proposed by the En- vironment Ministry and In- frastructure Malta and is still awaiting the approval of the Planning Authority, even if a number of caravans are already found in the area. One of the proposed condi- tions is that "bathing should not be practiced since coast- line from off Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq towards St Paul's Bay up to and including Qalet San Mar- ku is considered a non-bathing area." The EHD is also insisting that a committee should be respon- sible to manage the area and that this should be responsible for a waste management plan to prevent any accumulation of waste, pests and the dump- ing of waste and foul water in to the sea. Recently hunting organi- sation Kaċċaturi San Ubertu warned that the approval of the application would aggra- vate an "already serious" sit- uation resulting from illegally parked caravans in the area. In its objection with the Planning Authority, the hunting group submitted photos of filth and waste left on site by caravan owners, who already use the area abusively. "Caravans are littering the site, emptying their excre- ments over the rocky shore, doing their business under the trees, keeping generators 24/7 and vandalising the trees and signs," the organisation said. The Naxxar local council had also expressed its concern on the disposal of sewage into the sea. The proposed temporary car- avan site is next to a rounda- bout opposite the Magħtab landfill, occupying a stretch of abandoned road that used to form part of the Coast Road. The area is 4,000sq.m in size. It is adjacent to another stretch of disused coast road allocat- ed to KSU to develop a bird observatory that will include brackish water ponds for wad- er species. Both sites are in the vicinity of the Għadira tas-Sa- fra, a Natura 2000 site. Environment Health Directorate insists that bathing should not be practiced next to area proposed as a temporary caravan site Bahar ic-Caghaq caravan site proposed in area where bathing is prohibited