A Planning Authority permit for embellishment works in the area below the Vittoriosa bastions, facing Kalkara, has been welcomed by Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg and slammed by environment NGO Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar.

The minister in a Facebook post said the works in the area known as It-Toqba have been awaited by the people of the locality for years. He uploaded a picture (below) showing the seafront in a dilapidated state.

But the NGO said the project will see the building of a two-lane road leading to nowhere and undermine the quality of life of the people of Cottonera. 

They explained that the area, in its present dilapidated state is not functioning as a road, providing a stretch for walking, jogging and cycling, a sliver of foreshore where the children of Cottonera learn to swim, a fishing zone, an area where children play and the community socializes in the evening.

"It is a key public space and one of the few remaining in Birgu accessible to the public without commercialisation. The area definitely needs to be repaired and embellished but not reduced to a tarmacked road and cement strip over virgin foreshore," the NGO said.   

The plans show no bicycle lanes, dangerous pavements, benches with no backrests, no ladders to the sea, no play area, no space for sports and recreation, it was pointed out. 

"Where small trees like Judas trees would provide shade without marring the fortifications, the proposal provides no shade, very little greenery or decent landscaping. Just an uninspired sea of concrete and a beautiful foreshore buried under concrete, destroying the habitat of the local, protected marina flora and fauna. Cars are prioritised over people, as the seashore becomes a road with parking spaces, a race track not a slow traffic zone, against the PA’s directives, common sense and the community’s wellbeing."  

The FAA's objections to the Vittoriosa project.