Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1540561
12 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 22 OCTOBER 2025 NEWS Birkirkara bypass supermarket set for approval TOMORROW the Planning Authority will be taking a final decision on a supermarket being proposed together with 26 apart- ments on a vacant site in Birkir- kara, along Triq Dun Karm close to Scan. Part of the site is currently be- ing used as a boatyard while the rest of the site is mostly vacant. The development, proposed by Clement Gauci is being rec- ommended for approval by the Development and Management Directorate and a final decision is due on Thursday. The supermarket will include a bakery and a dedicated loading/ unloading bay, will have a cus- tomer area of 1,000m². The wider development will al- so feature offices on the first and second floors and 26 residential units, including five penthouses, in a lower block facing Triq Jan- nara. A street level cafeteria is al- so being proposed. The design separates commer- cial and residential uses into two blocks in line with the Central Malta Local Plan (CMLP) zoning requirements, ensuring compli- ance with local planning policies. Parking will be provided sep- arately for each use, with 100 spaces for the supermarket, 142 for offices, and 31 for the resi- dential units. This will result in an over provision of 84 parking spaces according to the case of- ficer report. Triq Jannara, currently nar- row, will be widened to align with its official boundary, while supermarket deliveries will be managed exclusively via a new unnamed road connecting the upper and lower streets, limiting traffic impact on residential are- as. Impact on Mater Dei traffic Transport Malta had initially expressed concerns related to the site's proximity to Mater Dei Hospital, particularly regarding emergency service routes. How- ever, a traffic assessment found that most generated traffic would not use the sensitive eastbound route, and additional trips at the nearby roundabout between Triq Dun Karm and Triq Tumas Fenech would be minimal, en- suring hospital emergency access remains unaffected. The Planning Authority con- firmed that the development's configuration and height remain within allowed limits. The com- mercial block along Triq Dun Karm will not exceed height re- strictions, while the residential block's design respects the slope of the surrounding streets. Overall, the project is consid- ered visually compatible with the area, and the parking and trans- port arrangements are deemed adequate. A retail impact assess- ment was not requested, as the proposal aligns with the zoning policies for commercial and resi- dential areas. A A supermarket is being proposed together with 26 apartments on a vacant site in Birkirkara, along Triq Dun Karm close to Scan JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt