Transport Malta objects to supermarkets in Mrieħel and Birkirkara

A proposed supermarket partly located outside the development zones (ODZ) at Mrieħel may prejudice future road upgrades, Transport Malta said in an objection to the pending planning application.

TM is also objecting to another supermarket proposed outside development boundaries along the Dun Karm bypass in Birkirkara.

The Mrieħel supermarket is being proposed by Propay Ltd, a company owned by Jason Pace and Daniel Degorgio. The Birkirkara bypass supermarket is being proposed by Jason Pace.

A stretch of agricultural land measuring 5,800sq.m is being earmarked for the Mrieħel supermarket. The land lies along the Mrieħel bypass in the vicinity of the motorway’s pedestrian bridge. Only a third of the proposed site lies within development zones in an area designated for commercial developments.

In this case Transport Malta is objecting because the development “may conflict with future highway upgrading”.

The objection does not refer to the nature and location of these “future upgrades”. But in November 2020, Infrastructure Malta had presented an application for controversial roadworks at Mrieħel on a 2km stretch that includes the Royal Malta Artillery Avenue.

The details of the application were never published and government has hinted that it will be seeking other solutions to avoid the take-up of agricultural land in the area.

Transport Malta is also objecting to the development of another supermarket, located outside development zones, along the Dun Karm Psaila Road, the Birkirkara bypass, on 5,500sq.m of ODZ land. TM is objecting because the proposed supermarket will create congestion. It also objected because the proposal is in breach of a policy regulating vehicular access to and out of arterial roads.

TM has called on the applicant to present traffic studies in case he still wants to proceed with the Birkirkara application.