PA set to approve Għaxaq shopping mall ‘in principle’

The Planning Authority is set to approve in principle the construction of a massive shopping mall in Għaxaq set to include 17,500sq.m of retail shops over three levels.

The mall will replace the Schembri Barbros batching plant along Triq Tal-Barrani. The site measuring 35,767sq.m, consists of the batching plant, the existing Lidl supermarket, its parking areas at the back and on the side, and several existing retail outlets on the service road.

But final approval will be conditional on clearance by Transport Malta and Infrastructure Malta for a new roundabout junction in front of the shopping complex, for which the developers have to pay in full.

The roundabout is being proposed instead of a traffic-light junction on the Tal-Barrani road at the intersection between Żejtun and the Schembri Barbros plant. Tal-Barrani is a four-lane arterial road, heavily used by vehicular traffic coming from and going to the southernmost villages of Malta.

The case officer pointed out that since the current proposal is an ‘outline development application’, only the principle of the development will be approved, while the major assessment related to the creation of the new traffic junction, will be carried out in the full development application. The Planning Board will take its decision on the outline permit on 21 March.

For this aim, the case officer has proposed a condition obliging the developer to include the detailed design of the roundabout junction in plans to be presented in a full development application to be presented after the issue of the outline permit.

The proposed condition states that the “strategic roundabout junction at the site access shall be upgraded and completed prior to the commencement of works on the commercial hub development and the expenses to the highway upgrading are to be fully borne by the developer.”

The PA’s development management directorate, which is recommending the approval of the project, said that it agrees with measures proposed by Transport Malta to improve road safety and access to Triq il-Barrani and the proposed commercial hub, including the upgrading of the transport junction.

The report also hints that the works may require “road-widening at specific parts along the highway” with any issues resulting from this being addressed during the processing of the full planning application.

According to the latest plans the retail and leisure complex will be built over three floors (10.5m) on a footprint of 14,220sq.m. Two levels of underground parking are set to accommodate 1,014 parking spaces. 

Apart from shops, the shopping hub will include a 2,500sq.m underground gymnasium and a 700sq.m childcare centre. The upper floor will include 7,000sq.m of food and beverage outlets. The project envisages a total floor area of 18,700sq.m dedicated to retail. The existing Lidl supermarket will be retained and enlarged.

The Commercial Hub building will be set-back by approximately 54 metres from the road alignment. The main building will be on two floors and a receded third floor, with an overall height of 10.50 metres