Hal Far racetrack consultants advise government to relocate refugees due to noise pollution

Racetrack abuts on refugee centre, with preliminary studies indicating noise pollution would be the major impact • Five other sites considered for racetrack

The proximity of some of the “sensitive receptors surrounding the site, especially the residential Hal Far tent Village which abuts the proposed site of the racing track on the northwest, and the Hal Far Day Centre, which abuts the site on the east, could be “a cause for concern” due to noise pollution
The proximity of some of the “sensitive receptors surrounding the site, especially the residential Hal Far tent Village which abuts the proposed site of the racing track on the northwest, and the Hal Far Day Centre, which abuts the site on the east, could be “a cause for concern” due to noise pollution

The government is being asked to consider the relocation of the various refugee centres in Ħal Far, especially those abutting the proposed motorsport track, so they are not exposed to increased noise emissions.

The possible relocation of the refugee centres is proposed in a set of mitigation proposals for the environmental impact of the racetrack outlined in a Project Development Statement authored by ADI consultants on behalf of the Malta Motorsports Federation.

According to the document, the main impact from the operation of the racetrack is expected to be “noise emissions from the racing cars, especially from non-electric vehicles and, in particular, the combustion engines”.

The PDS also calls for the installation of noise barriers in strategic locations to minimize noise impacts, “together with the strict monitoring of noise emissions from individual vehicles, in line with the racetrack’s noise limit policies”.

During operations, emissions from visitor traffic and from the non-electric racing cars are also expected to increase and are likely to impact the air quality of the site and its surroundings. But such impacts will not be constant but linked “to event days when the number of cars would increase substantially”.

The document warns that the proximity of some of the “sensitive receptors surrounding the site, especially the residential Ħal Far tent Village which abuts the proposed site of the racing track on the northwest, and the Ħal Far Day Centre, which abuts the site on the east, could be “a cause for concern” due to noise pollution.

The racetrack will also be 60 metres away from the Peace Lab, a charity that also accommodates a number of refugees and includes extensive gardens. It is also in close proximity to the Sonia Tanti Independent Living Centre and the refugee open centres.

As proposed, the track designed by Tilke GmbH & Co. KG of Germany will have a maximum 2,000m length. The project will include the racetrack itself, which will have 12 turns, six right and six left-hand turns, a 472m start-finish straight, and over 4,800sq.m of paddock, grandstands, and access roads.

But the race track may trigger the need for new access to industrial estate. The development will eliminate the current northern access to the Ħal Far Industrial Estate, which will be incorporated within the racetrack.

The loss of this “major entry/exit point” for the Ħal Far estate is of “major concern” and the consultants are calling on the authorities to explore the possibility of substituting the present access “with an alternative access point… so as not to impact traffic movements within and around the estate”.

Access to the racetrack and the drag racing facility will be via a new road off Triq Birżebbuġa, whereas access to the kart-racing track will be through a new tunnel on the western boundary of the site.

The proposed site occupies an area of 82,900sq.m, which includes land presently occupied by the kart racing track and the paddock and part of the drag racing facility. The rest of the land proposed is vacant: “partly agricultural” but “mostly abandoned” or used for parking or open storage.

The main ancillary building will be the paddock supporting the racetrack. This will have an overall area of 4,885sq.m and will include the pit building and pit garages, over 2,300 sq.m. The pit building will be the highest building on site at four floors or 15m above road level.

Any vehicle using the racetrack will have to be free of excessive smoke, does not leak oil and other liquids, and complies with noise emission standards set by the racetrack, which follow relevant FIA rules.

Five other sites had been considered

The study reveals that five other different locations were considered for the development. These were Bengħajsa in Birżebbuġa, Ta’ Ħlantun in Ħal Safi, Magħtab in Naxxar, San Niklaw in Siġġiewi and Ta’ Qali in Attard.

The sites were excluded because of a greater impact on ecology and landscapes or due to their impact on neighbouring residential areas or recreational users.

Ta’ Qali was proposed as a site for motorsports before the 2017 election but was deemed to have an adverse impact on the cultural heritage asset of Mdina, as well as on Attard residences.

The San Niklaw site was excluded due to its impact on agricultural land and its proximity to Villa Dar Monsinjur Gonzi.

The chosen site in Ħal Far was deemed to have “a low social impact on surrounding residential development” given the limited number of units in the vicinity” while recognizing that it is “close to the Ħal Far refugee centre which accommodates asylum seekers and illegal immigrants.”