Lidl supermarket in Haz-Zebbug set for approval after ODZ car park gets clearance

An 8,500 square metre car park set outside development zones as part of the Haz-Zebbug Lidl supermarket is set for approval after both the Lands and Transport authorities issued clearance, and a case officer gave favourable recommendation.

The supermarket is being proposed on the site of the SMW Cortis building on Mdina road, but the Planning Authority’s case officer recommended approval for the additional car parking provision to cater for “the high parking standard commonly adopted for such development”.

The development was only made possible thanks to the controversial Central Link project, as otherwise traffic to the supermarket would have resulted in gridlock. 

Despite strong objections by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) because of the intrusion into ODZ land, the project is still being recommended for approval.

The ERA had firmly requested that all development, including the parking area, should be entirely confined within the boundaries of the area of containment, a designation for land where commercial development can be located outside the development zone. ERA insisted that the rest of the site should have been rehabilitated.

The Lands Authority said works on government-owned land can only take place after the sale of the land is concluded; this part of the site consists of a layby that will form part of the surface car park.

In total, the 14,000sq.m site lies between the Mdina and Attard roads, with main access proposed from Attard Road.

The PA board will be taking a decision on the development on 16 July.

The existing SMW Cortis building will be demolished, and apart from the supermarket there will be a basement-level commercial and industrial complex. The permit issued to Joseph Cortis in 2014 had specified that the new premises be only used for “storage and distribution purposes”, namely a retail shop on 58sq.m.

A scheduled windmill on the site’s periphery, is surrounded on three sides by the property. The car park will be developed in the area behind the windmill.

Transport Malta gave its clearance to the Lidl supermarket in October, claiming any traffic it will generate will be mitigated by the Central Link project. A traffic impact assessment (TIA) concluded that “the recently approved changes to the national road network… will mitigate both the current congestion on the strategic junction adjacent to the site, and the trip generation of the development.”

How Central Link will impact traffic to new supermarket

The TIA identifies a high risk of junction failure caused by the traffic induced by the new Lidl in the roundabout between the Mdina-Attard roads, which also attracts school traffic to localities like Mgarr. The new network will limit the direct link to the area from Attard since access to Attard Road will only be available through a left turn for traffic from a westerly direction. It also foresees the Central Link thoroughfare becoming more attractive for car trips between the south-east of the island, and a reduction in traffic along the narrower Mdina road.

Moreover, trips north of the Central Link would either travel towards Rabat and enter Mdina Road from the roundabout near Triq ta’ Cawla, or travel to Mriehel and turn around a new roundabout to come back to the Central Link and turn left to Attard Road. This would result in a 30% decrease in traffic along the critical junction.

The report says that with the Central Link in place the junction is expected to perform satisfactorily till 2025. The report concludes that although the transport impact of the new supermarket is significant, the new road infrastructure will mitigate both the current congestion on the strategic network and the trips generated by the development. The report also notes an “edge of town supermarket” like the proposed Lidl will necessarily cater for “car-based shopping”.

The Zebbug local council had objected to the proposal because of the traffic congestion. Moreover, it pointed to the possible social impact the project could have on established local shops and vegetable sellers who earned their living within the locality. The supermarket chain already have another three megastores within a four-mile radius, with supermarkets in Luqa, Qormi and Santa Venera.