No major impacts on the environment have been identified from the proposed construction of a 252-bed, four-storey home for the elderly in a quarry outside the development zone in Mqabba.

Under the proposal, structures and boundary walls in Valletta Road will be demolished and parts of the quarry refilled and landscaped.

If approved, the residence will have three above-ground floors of guest rooms and ancillary facilities, an underground car park for 137 cars, gardens, space for a fire truck and minibuses, an ambulance drop-off zone, a security room, crafts room, lounge, chapel, a mortuary, an adjacent bereavement room and a large dining area.

The planning application was filed by infrastructure firm Bonnici Brothers, which specialises in road construction.

An environmental impact assessment carried out by AIS Environment Ltd on the proposal says the development would have a detrimental impact on views towards and from Mqabba.

However, it did not identify any major impacts on the environment, apart from temporary effects on the visual amenity during construction from the presence of machinery and cranes, as seen from one location within the wider quarry area.

The proposed building has a footprint of 7,650 square metres overlying six proposed reservoirs for runoff water, within a site of 18,976 square metres.

The site has been used for quarrying activities for at least 50 years. Present operations include extraction of mineral rock and receipt of inert excavation, demolition and extractive waste for backfilling purposes. Otherwise the quarry is no longer in use.

The Mqabba quarry site has been used for quarrying activities for at least 50 years.

Mqabba site deemed suitable in principle

A site selection exercise, conducted independently from the EIA, identified four alternative sites for the proposed development but the consultants’ report did not consider them as the Mqabba site was deemed suitable in principle.

A separate ERA internal report notes that visual changes are likely as seen from the road, due to the presence of the building close to the street. However, this impact would be localised and could be mitigated through proper landscaping and visual screening of the development.

The higher volume of traffic would generate more noise, mainly during weekday mornings, however, this is not envisaged to be significant.

The report, however, does cite uncertainty on potential noise effects from the fixed operational plant, as details were not yet available at this stage of the planning process.

The ERA board will be holding a public meeting tomorrow to discuss its position.