Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1524428
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 24 JULY 2024 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Office block set to dominate busy Marsa junction Permit to include obligation to implement a Green Travel Plan aimed at reducing car trip generation by 30% THE Planning Authority direc- torate is recommending the ap- proval of a standalone six-storey office block in Marsa that re- places an original proposal for a 16-storey tower. The proposed development is situated at the crossroads be- tween Triq it-Tigrija, Triq Anton Cassar, Triq is-Salib tal-Marsa and Triq Belt il-Hazna. The 1,142sq.m site is already partly excavated, and the project is set to include a show room and five overlying office floors. The site is situated close to the abandoned match factory where another commercial complex is being proposed by the Corinthia Group. The six-storey building pro- posed by developer Neville Agius, a renowned antiquarian and philanthropist, will reach a height of 22m. The project was originally pro- posed as a 16-storey pencil de- velopment over a smaller foot- print, but plans were later scaled down to accommodate a bulkier six floor block which has little impact on long distance views. As proposed, the new building will have a smaller footprint at ground floor and first floor lev- el, becoming bulkier from the second floor onwards. The de- sign is aimed at maximising the amount of partly roofed open space and to create a visual gap between the lower and upper part of the building. The development has been sub- jected to extensive traffic studies which concluded that although the new trips generated by the project will be absorbed by the existing network, several safety issues have been identified. The Traffic Impact Assess- ment concluded that that up to 35% of the 100,000 car trips passing along the strategic junc- tion would already be passing near the site. Moreover, the 280 new daily trips generated by the project can be absorbed by the existing road network which is expected to perform adequately beyond 2029. Yet the studies have shown that new development in the ar- ea raises road safety and acces- sibility issues. This is because at present, vehicles can enter the roads leading to the site from the Marsa-Hamrun Bypass, by taking one of two roads which pass either side of the site; one of which leads to a roundabout junction, and the other to a slip way connecting Triq it-Tigrija to Triq Simpson. The report notes that many drivers neglect to follow the roundabout rules and assume they have right-of-way. This re- sults in a hazardous situation for other users of the junction. A second safety issue relates to the significant presence of pe- destrians in the area. These in- clude "foreign nationals dropped off or waiting for lifts to work". This often leads to "haphazard or random crossings" by pedes- trians. The problem is further compounded by the fact that the nearest bus stop is located fur- ther away along Triq Dicembru 13. The study recommended fur- ther studies with the view of improving pedestrian crossing points and other facilities in the area. In view of these issues a tempo- rary traffic management system is being proposed to ensure safe access to the site. The arrangement proposes a segregated service peripher- al road or cul-de-sac along and within the eastern site frontage which is only accessible from the slip road between Triq it-Tigrija and Triq Simpson. Direct access to this link from the arterial road will no longer be possible with this arrangement. Instead, vehi- cles accessing the area from the arterial road will be guided to- wards the roundabout and then turn left towards Triq Simpson. This will also allow for conven- ient access to the site for drivers arriving from the east and south. Although a Green Travel Plan has been submitted, the PA is in- sisting that this should be updat- ed to include an implementation programme for a 30% reduction in trip generation. And although the study sug- gests that 35% of trips gener- ated by the project could be by bus, one major problem is that the nearest bus stops (on Triq Dicembru 13) are not currently safely accessible from this site, while a 10-minute walk is need- ed to reach the Triq Aldo Moro bus stops. The Green Travel Plan itself states that crossing points can be greatly improved in the ar- ea, particularly those providing access to bus stops along Triq it-Tiġrija and Triq Aldo Moro. Studies also show that although the complex will require 124 parking spaces, only 58 will be provided. This will be compen- sated by a €560,000 contribution to the PA's Urban Improvement Fund. Moreover, the implemen- tation of the Green Travel Plan is expected to result in a 30% re- duction in traffic generation. Photomontages of the projected development