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MaltaToday 3 November 2024

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9 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 NOVEMBER 2024 JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt ANNOUNCEMENT OF A CALL FOR PROJECT PROPOSALS UNDER The Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023-2027 The Ministry responsible for European Funds announces the launch of a call for project proposals as indicated hereunder: Intervention I73.5.1: On-Farm Productive Investments (for projects with a total cost of more than €30,000) The call will close on Friday 31 st January 2025 at noon. The online application form for the submission of project proposals and supporting documentation are available on https://fondi.eu/what-funding-is-available/. Prospective applicants are encouraged to refer to the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan and the Eligibility Guidance Notes to confirm whether their proposals are eligible for funding through this call for project proposals. Further information on this call and on the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan may be obtained from https://fondi.eu/. Any queries shall be sent by email to fondi.eu@gov.mt. A number of dedicated information sessions are being organised on: • Monday 11 th November 2024 • Wednesday 13 th November 2024 • Friday 15 th November 2024 • Friday 22 nd November 2024 More details on the information session as well as registration can be accessed by scanning the below QR code or call on 2779 7300. A new road linking Bieb is-Sul- tan in Żabbar to Smart City will displace 5,000 cubic metres of soil, requiring farmland to be expropriated. The soil will be re- used in nearby fields. Transport Malta's project statement to the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), which is currently determining whether the project requires an Environment Impact Assess- ment, was prepared by the en- vironmental consultancy firm Crowdnet, owned by architect William Lewis. The statement hailed the pro- ject as a "significant milestone in the country's ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of life for residents and businesses in our communities", concluding that "numerous benefits are antici- pated" from the project, includ- ing improved safety for all road users, better traffic flows and the promotion of alternative modes of transport. New roadworks explained The proposed road will upgrade Trejqet il-Fata by transform- ing the existing rough vehicular route into a dual carriageway, with separate northbound and southbound lanes, complement- ed by a bi-directional cycle lane and a footway. The new road is being pro- posed along the historical bas- tion of St James. To protect the visual integrity of the fort, the cycle and pedestrian lanes will be positioned lower than the new elevated vehicular route. The upgraded route will con- nect to Triq Santa Liberata through a new stretch encroach- ing on agricultural fields, fea- turing a dual carriageway, a 3m cycle lane, and a 1.3m footway. Triq il-Missjoni Taljana will re- main a single carriageway, with added cycling and pedestrian fa- cilities, including a narrow vege- tation strip for safety. Existing priority junctions at Triq il-Missjoni Taljana and Triq Joseph Calleja will be trans- formed into roundabouts to im- prove traffic flow by providing smoother turning manoeuvres for vehicles and reducing the likelihood of congestion and ac- cidents. According to the PDS, the project will enhance road safety and accessibility for cy- clists, pedestrians, and public transport users while addressing blind spots and accident risks. Project justification The new route is intended to reduce vehicular traffic within residential areas in Kalkara, Bir- gu, and Żabbar by providing di- rect access to Smart City, which will include new dwellings and hotels, the Institute of Tourism Studies, the American Univer- sity of Malta, shopping malls, a primary and secondary school, and a private hospital. Upon completion, the bypass is expected to significantly re- duce vehicular emissions in the Cottonera town centres. "It is thought that the new proposed bypass will shift these vehicles from the residential and com- munal contexts of these adjoin- ing localities to the new pro- posed route on the outskirts," the report states. The project design underwent consultations with the Superin- tendence of Cultural Heritage due to its proximity to histor- ically significant sites, such as the San Ġakbu bastions. Meas- ures to prevent damage to these structures include adjusting road alignments, creating adequate buffers, and separating active mobility lanes from main traffic to preserve historical vistas. The project also incorporates storm- water culverts, hydrodynamic separators, and vegetation strips, which aim to maintain the nat- ural landscape and prevent soil erosion. Rubble walls will either be preserved or reconstructed. Government obliged to build new road The agreement with Smart City on the relocation of the American University of Malta campus from Żonqor approved by parliament in 2022, includes an obligation on government to construct a new connection road linking Bieb is-Sultan in Żabbar, to the Capuchin's convent in Kalkara. Despite the take-up of a sub- stantial amount of agricultural land, the latest proposal repre- sents a sharp departure from a proposed 643m-long road pass- ing right through the Tal-Fata agricultural area proposed in 2007, which would have in- volved the take-up of a stagger- ing 14,500sq.m of agricultural land. Smart City road link will displace 5,000 cubic metres of soil

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