Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1490234
NEWS 7 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 18 JANUARY 2023 JAMES DEBONO A proposed supermarket partly located on ODZ land at Mriehel may prejudice future road upgrades, Transport Malta said in an objection to the pending plan- ning application. TM is also objecting to another super- market proposed outside development boundaries along the Dun Karm bypass in Birkirkara. The Mriehel supermarket is being pro- posed by Propay Ltd, a company owned by Jason Pace and Daniel Degorgio. The Birkirkara bypass supermarket is being proposed by Jason Pace. A stretch of agricultural land measur- ing 5,800sq.m is being earmarked for the Mriehel supermarket. The land lies along the Mriehel bypass in the vicini- ty of the motorway's pedestrian bridge. Only a third of the proposed site lies within development zones in an area designated for commercial develop- ments. In this case Transport Malta is object- ing because the development "may con- flict with future highway upgrading". The objection does not refer to the nature and location of these "future upgrades". But in November 2020 In- frastructure Malta had presented an ap- plication for controversial roadworks at Mriehel on a 2km stretch that includes the Royal Malta Artillery Avenue. The details of the application were never published and government has hinted that it will be seeking other solu- tions to avoid the take up of agricultural land in the area. Transport Malta is also objecting to the development of another supermar- ket, located outside development zones, along the Dun Karm Psaila Road, the Birkirkara bypass, on 5,500sq.m of ODZ land. TM is objecting because the proposed supermarket will create congestion. It also objected because the proposal is in breach of a policy regulating vehicular access to and out of arterial roads. TM has called on the applicant to present traffic studies in case he still wants to proceed with the Birkirkara application. TM objects to ODZ supermarkets in Mriehel and Birkirkara Mriehel supermarket would prejudice future highway upgrade while supermarket on Dun Karm bypass would create congestion and problems related to vehicular access A stretch of agricultural land measuring 5,800sq.m is being earmarked for the Mriehel supermarket Transport Malta is objecting to the development of another supermarket, located outside development zones, along the Dun Karm Psaila Road, the Birkirkara bypass