Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/345566
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 13 JULY 2014 News 11 While new yacht marinas should be located within existing harbours this should not involve "altering our coastlines" artificially as was be- ing proposed recently through the reclamation of land at Sliema, DLH president Simone Mizzi told Malta- Today. "This will narrow the picturesque contours of the entrance to Sliema creek, in order to sell off the few re- maining views of Valletta from the Sliema side to super yachts. We have done enough of that already." According to Mizzi the impact of such a project also has to be seriously studied, as it will alter the water qual- ity of the harbour permanently. Equally cautious on the impact of a breakwater on the harbour's water circulation, is Flimkien Ghal Amb- jent Ahjar coordinator Astrid Vella. "Before the proposed Sliema break- water project can be considered, se- rious studies need to be carried out, including wave motion analysis in order to assess how changes in cur- rents and waves would affect water stagnation and erosion of the seabed and shoreline in the different areas of Marsamxett harbour." Astrid Vella also referred to reports that this breakwater is being planned in order to set up a major yacht ma- rina in Sliema creek. "Serious studies need to be made on how the jetties that will form the marina will be constructed in order to be unobtrusive and have mini- mum effect on the environment in the area." She also called for social impact studies to assess the impact on local communities. The heavier traffic to service the marina which will be generated in this heavily congested and polluted area is also a major concern for FAA. Vella warns that unless such devel- opments are properly planned, "the end result will be a breakwater and an unsightly boat park rather than a thriving yacht marina which respects the surrounding area". The MIDI commitment According to the emphytheutical deed signed between MIDI and the government in 1999, the company is committed to construct a breakwa- ter in Manoel Island. Contacted by MaltaToday the company welcomed cooperation with China in building a breakwater linking Valletta and Sliema while in- sisting that it is still bound by previ- ous commitments to build its own breakwater. MIDI had presented a planning application in 2003 to develop a breakwater in Marsamxett (between Manoel island and Valletta) but the application is still pending 11 years later. Asked whether MIDI is still com- mitted to honour its application, MIDI CEO Luke Coppini replied that at this stage nothing has changed with regard to MIDI's application and agreement in the emphyteuti- cal deed with the government for a breakwater on Manoel Island. "Like all stakeholders in the area we will monitor how the cooperation envis- aged in the MOU will evolve. We haven't yet seen any details or plans of the new breakwater so we can- not really comment further at this stage". According to Coppini a breakwa- ter in Marsamxett could transform the creeks of Marsamxett, Ta' Xbiex, Pieta and Sa Maison into potential marina and leisure zones which will benefit local and visiting yachts as well as businesses in the area. "It makes sense to create marinas in the traditional harbour areas of Malta where the necessary supple- mentary facilities already exist". Marinas in the ferries? Entrepreneur Grace Borg describes investment in a breakwater as a good idea, which could trigger private sec- tor investment in the Sliema ferries. "Various projects have been pro- posed at the ferries in the past by the private sector but these never materialised because of the cost of constructing a breakwater to shelter these developments." Entrepreneur Angelo Xuereb is more sceptical on the idea of a large breakwater, favouring a number of localised breakwaters. According to Xuereb studies should establish whether the devel- opment of one single huge breakwa- ter is preferable to a number of less costly and smaller breakwaters. Xuereb also insists on studies on the impact of such a development on the circulation of water in the harbour. But Xuereb welcomes the pros- pect of a sheltered port protected by breakwaters, mentioning the great potential for investment in yacht ma- rinas and facilities for super yachts. "We can never have enough berthing facilities as there will always be a demand for more." He also thinks that Sliema is an ideal venue for yacht marinas. "Sliema will become like Monte Carlo." He also thinks that owners of super yachts prefer berthing in city centres where they have access to restaurants, bars and other facili- ties. "This will definitely put Malta in the map." The Marsamxett saga Yet similarly to the idea of a Gozo bridge, deemed to be too costly in feasibility studies conducted by the Economic Planning Division in 1969 and by the Japanese government's Overseas Technical Cooperation Agency in 1972, previous studies have cast doubts on the feasibility of a breakwater at Marsamxett. A study commissioned by the Mal- tese government in 1968 and carried out by G. Maunsell & Partners of London, reported that the sea was so deep that if a breakwater were to be built, the expense would be exorbi- tant. A second report commissioned by the Malta Development Corporation in 1990, carried out by Hydraulic Research of Wallingford, also con- cluded that the expense would not be sustainable. According to the study, since wa- ter is more than 30 metres deep, the breakwater's foundations could block water circulation inside the harbour. An EIA undertaken by the Gibb Environmental in 1999 for the Tigné and Manoel Island project had con- cluded that in order to increase water circulation around Manoel Island, the Manoel Island bridge should be widened and the seabed dredged. One of the permit conditions for the Tigné and Manoel Island project was that dredging works aimed at fa- cilitating water circulation in Lazza- retto Creek should have been under- taken before the MIDI yacht marina was allowed to start its operations. A recent study by ADI Associates to study the impact of a reorganisa- tion of the Ta'Xbiex marinas warns on the potential negative impact on water circulation resulting from the proposed Manoel Island breakwater coupled with the impact of the gov- ernment's project to discharge storm water through an outfall, which will empty its contents in Lazzaretto Creek. The study notes that the flow from the outfall was not even modelled. One of the risks identified in the report is that of eutrophication - the blossoming of algae due to the deple- tion of oxygen levels as a result of an increase in nitrates in the water. Gonzi's Marsamxett plans Despite doubts expressed in previ- ous studies the building of a break- water for Marsamxett harbour was among the 22 Marsamxett area projects announced earlier in De- cember 2007, just three months be- fore the 2008 general election. One of the major developments linked to the breakwater was the construction of a new cruise liner quay in the Fort St Elmo area . The Marsamxett plan also proposed building a promenade linking fort St Elmo to Tigne Point in Sliema. Then Prime Minister Gonzi was keen on emphasising the creation of new public spaces rather than the commercial aspect of this project. "We also need to make sure that we ward off any land speculators. The location itself is exceptional", he said. In these plans the Sliema Ferries were to be redeveloped for pleasure cruise craft while a yacht marina was proposed at Pieta. In fact plans presented by the pre- vious government for the Pieta ma- rina were approved by the Malta En- vironment and Planning Authority on Thursday. Back in February 2006 Transport Minister Jesmond Mugliett an- nounced a Lm1 million land rec- lamation project to create more parking spaces in the Strand. The announcement was made during a meeting with angry shop owners like Grace Borg, who protested against the loss in parking space. MEPA is presently considering a smaller land reclamation project proposed by a number of hotels on the Gzira side of the Strand. The project envisions the develop- ment of a swimming pool and other facilities on reclaimed land, adjacent to the present promenade, which will remain public. But while presently people can walk along the coast, looking directly at the sea between Gzira and Manoel Island, the proposed area, immedi- ately adjacent to the sea, will be oc- cupied by private facilities. According to MEPA's Environ- ment Protection Directorate, provid- ing adequate pedestrian access along the seaward edge of the proposed reclaimed coast can offset this nega- tive impact. Originally the developers had pre- sented more extensive plans to re- claim 20,132 square meters of land, stretching from the area opposite the Waterfront Hotel to the Manoel Island bridge. But the project was later downscaled after MEPA called on the developers to go back to the drawing board. A final decision on the project has yet to be taken. "It makes sense to create marinas in the traditional harbour areas of Malta where the necessary supplementary facilities already exist"- MIDI CEO Luke Coppini "Sliema will become like Monte Carlo"- Angelo Xuereb Marsamxett