Toyota site commercial development set for refusal over traffic impact

A major commercial redevelopment on the former Toyota showroom site in Żebbuġ is facing refusal after planning officials sounded a warning over its traffic impact.

The traffic generated by the proposed development would overwhelm an already congested road network.

For these reasons the development has been recommended for refusal by the Development and Management Directorate with a final decision to be taken by the Planning Board on 12 March.

The proposal (PA/00879/23) by Rohan Arch Limited, a company associated with the Michael Debono Group, envisages the demolition of the existing buildings and their replacement with a hybrid commercial complex comprising four distinct structures. Three would be conventional blocks, while a fourth would be a medium-rise eight-storey tower developed under the Floor to Area Ratio (FAR) policy.     

The scheme is entirely commercial in nature. It includes 15,765sq.m of office space, mostly concentrated within the eight-storey building, 19 retail outlets, a supermarket, and food and beverage establishments. A basement level would provide 444 parking spaces, while just over half of the FAR site area is earmarked as public open space.

In its assessment, the Development Management Directorate described the design as “innovative” and of “high-quality architectural value,” suggesting it could act as a catalyst for urban regeneration and create a “magnetic” social destination. The project was also found to meet the basic eligibility criteria under the FAR policy in terms of site area and developable gross floor space.

Yet despite these positive remarks, the case officer ultimately recommended refusal, citing the project’s unacceptable transport impact as the overriding concern.

Impact on traffic

According to the Transport Impact Assessment, several key junctions surrounding the site are already operating beyond capacity. In particular, Junction B at the Triq l-Imdina roundabout and Junction E, at Triq is-Siġġiewi are currently failing.

Projections for 2032 indicate that these failures would worsen significantly, regardless of whether the project proceeds but the additional traffic generated by the development would further strain the system.

At Junction B, the Ratio of Flow to Capacity (RFC) for the Triq l-Imdina arm is forecast to rise from 1.03 to 1.24, while the Triq tal-Imgħażel arm could reach an RFC of 4.66, a level indicating severe over-saturation. Junction D, connecting Triq l-Imdina and Triq is-Siġġiewi, is also projected to approach critical levels, with an RFC of 0.96.

The applicant proposed structural interventions to mitigate congestion, including replacing the roundabout at Junction B with traffic signals. However, even this redesign would still result in a maximum RFC of 1.00—effectively at full capacity—while restricting traffic movements and potentially displacing congestion to nearby nodes, including the roundabout near St Dorothy’s School. At Junction E, no meaningful physical modifications were considered feasible due to limited road space and constrained two-lane approaches.

The study concluded that structural changes in road lay out alone would not resolve the situation, recommending instead a shift toward more sustainable transport modes in line with the National Transport Master Plan 2025. However, planning officials found that measures such as the Green Travel Plan and bicycle facilities were unlikely to meaningfully offset the projected increase in private vehicle use.

The development is expected to generate an Annual Average Daily Traffic flow of 1,494 vehicles, further burdening the network. Compounding the problem is a parking shortfall. While DC15 standards require 570 spaces, only 444 are proposed — a deficit of 126 spaces, or 36 when calculated through dynamic modelling. Officials warned that this shortfall could increase on-street parking pressure in surrounding residential areas and exacerbate congestion.

The project was deemed “premature”, as it risks compromising the Planning Authority’s ability to implement a comprehensive and integrated transport strategy for the wider Żebbuġ area.

The case officer concluded that the proposal runs counter to transport objectives set out in the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development, particularly those promoting modal shift and integrated mobility planning.

A separate Visual Impact Assessment found that the medium-rise tower would have impacts of “major significance” from nine out of 14 assessed vantage points. However, the Directorate considered this level of impact acceptable in the context of landmark FAR developments.

Environmental issues were also flagged, including the generation of some 44,000 cubic metres of excavation waste and the need for robust air quality and noise mitigation measures.