Boulders in Veċċja Cove to prevent road collapse approved

The Planning Authority has approved the construction of a rock revetment along the existing friable cliff face at Għar Tal-Veċċja in St Paul’s Bay.

The revetment is intended to protect the area from further coastal erosion and prevent the possible collapse of Triq Stella Maris.

The approved plans also include the construction of a swimming deck, which will be accessible via a staircase and a ramp for people with mobility issues. The deck will be located at the western end of the proposed revetment, as detailed in a visual impression presented by the Public Works Department.

Plans for the construction of a rock revetment have been pending since 2022, when the first plans were submitted.

These plans were subsequently revised following objections from the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), which warned against the obliteration of the cave. Revised plans were then submitted to protect the cave without covering it, proposing boulders in front of the site.

In a meeting held last September, the Planning Commission requested that the Public Works Department amend the drawings to include the swimming deck and obtain the consent of the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability, which was later granted.

A project statement presented in 2023 warned that wave action from north-eastern storms was damaging the existing infrastructure along this stretch of coastline.

The erection of boulders would decrease the rate of erosion on the cave during severe storms, thereby increasing the safety of third-party properties and the road sitting directly above it.