Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1535522
15 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 MAY 2025 JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Burmarrad mall and supermarket set for approval A four-storey shopping mall and supermarket are set for approval in Burmarrad, marking another step in the area's shift from rural hamlet to commercial hub BURMARRAD'S transformation from a rural hamlet into a fully-fledged com- mercial area is set to continue. The Plan- ning Authority is expected to approve a four-storey shopping mall on the site of the car repair and rental depot owned by Burmarrad Commercials. The development is set to include a su- permarket, retail outlets, catering estab- lishments, office space, and four levels of basement parking accommodating 572 cars. The existing car rental and storage depot will be relocated to Marsa, on the site pre- viously occupied by Union Print. The development, proposed by Burmar- rad Commercials Ltd, which is owned by the Gauci family, was made possible by changes to the local plan approved in 2019. These changes re-zoned a 20,000sq.m stretch along Burmarrad Road into a com- mercial area. Previously, the area was zoned for stor- age, vehicle repairs, and showrooms with a maximum height of one storey. The new zoning allows for commercial develop- ment—including offices, retail shops, and catering establishments—rising to 17.5 metres, as proposed in the current appli- cation. For this reason, the project has been deemed to conform with existing policies, even though supermarkets are not specifi- cally mentioned among the developments allowed in the area. However, the inclu- sion of supermarkets in other commercial areas is cited by the case officer as justifica- tion for approval. Traffic impact The development is expected to gen- erate an estimated 1,818 additional car trips, which the case officer describes as "significant." Transport studies related to the application indicate that this increase in traffic will require an upgrade of the Er- ba' Mwieżeb roundabout, particularly to address congestion on the Kennedy Drive arm. The entry width of this arm will be in- creased from 7.1 metres to 8 metres. Mod- ifications to the roundabout will retain the current geometry while introducing bypass lanes for left turns from Kennedy Drive and Triq Burmarrad. No changes are foreseen to the Mosta Road arm, as this would impact third-party property. Plans for the junction upgrade will be carried out by Infrastructure Malta, while the developer will be expected to contrib- ute 3% of the costs, a sum which, accord- ing to Transport Malta, reflects the share of network traffic generated by the new development. Visual impact The case officer praised the design of the new buildings, describing it as an im- provement over the existing industrial and deteriorated urban fabric, which will be "recomposed to provide legibility, identity, and liveability with the new contemporary building that aims to create a fresh attrac- tion point." The design was also endorsed by the De- sign Advisory Committee and the Super- intendence of Cultural Heritage, which had previously requested photomontages to assess the development's impact on the surrounding rural area. This development permission is subject to a €100,000 bank guarantee to ensure that the existing yard used for heavy ve- hicle parking, located to the east and op- posite the Burmarrad Commercial Area, is closed down and rehabilitated back to agricultural use to the satisfaction of the Planning Authority. A 3-metre pedestrian footpath is also be- ing proposed along the full length of the site facing the rural area, as indicated on approved plans. The development is expected to generate an estimated 1,818 additional car trips, which the case officer described as significant Statistics point to decline in online harassment cases reported to police ONLINE harassment cases lodged with the police have witnessed a steady de- cline since they started being logged separately in 2022, information tabled in parliament shows. There were 135 cases of online har- assment reported to the police between 2022 and March 2025, according to in- formation tabled by Home Affairs Min- ister Byron Camilleri. Camilleri was replying to a parlia- mentary question by Nationalist MP Bernice Bonello, who asked about the number of cases of online harassment involving young people recorded in the past five years. Camilleri explained that data for on- line harassment is available from 2022 and includes all victims, including mi- nors. In 2022, there were 53 online har- assment cases reported to the police, dropping to 47 in 2023 and 24 last year. Between January 2025 and the end of March, the police received 11 reports of online harassment, Camilleri said. The period may be too short to deter- mine whether the decline represents a positive downward trend or a momen- tary dip. Like other forms of harass- ment, many cases of online abuse also go unreported. However, the information tabled in parliament seems to contradict what the police said earlier this year during the launch of an anti-cyberbullying campaign in conjunction with Be Smart Online. The police had reported a substan- tial increase in cyberbullying cases in different schools with children or ado- lescents receiving messages of insults, threats and disparaging words on plat- forms such as Facebook and Instagram. The Cybercrime Unit daily receives reports of persons who are affected by crimes through digital means, the po- lice had said. Police Superintendent Anne Marie Xuereb had said the police are unable to take action against perpetrators aged under 14 but may proceed in court against the parent or the person caring for the minor. KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt