This protest comes after the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) approved the uprooting of 200 mature trees as part of a development planned to widen the road to Marsalforn.

The project, covered by permit PA/03000/19, includes the widening of the arterial road between Victoria and Marsalforn and the development of another road that will serve to bypass traffic away from Victoria’s centre.

According to the proposed project, “the current road network along this route has a number of shortfalls, including occasional traffic congestion at the initial segment of the proposal at the arm for the roundabout junction connecting Triq il-Kapuccini with Triq ir-Repubblika in Victoria.”

The proposal goes on to say that this segment is a vital part of the main route linking Mgarr to Victoria, experiencing heavy traffic flow, especially during peak and ferry hours.

However, some Gozitans have questioned this logic and pointed out that this particular road is in no way a traffic hotspot.

Following the screening of the proposal, ERA concluded that the project “does not require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)”, “subject to stringent implementation of the mitigation measures and good practice standards”.

The Planning Application was appealed by eNGO Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, who insisted that the project “involves the taking up of agricultural land to widen a road for no reason other than to add a series of services that are not required on a road that is rarely congested”.

In its decision, the Environment And Planning Review Tribunal said that “while it is undeniable that the junction upgrade project does pose a threat to the agricultural land,” this impact is not “significant enough to take precedence over the scope of this project, which promotes sustainable transport and mitigates traffic congestion in important networks”.

eNGO Għawdix expressed its “alarm” at the ERA’s decision “to remove numerous trees and shrubs along the roadside”.

“This activity raises ecological concerns as these vegetation elements play a pivotal role in maintaining soil stability, preventing erosion, and providing habitat for local wildlife,” the NGO wrote.

“The project’s potential impact on groundwater protection zones is also of paramount concern. The construction activities may disturb natural hydrological processes, affecting stormwater runoff patterns and aquifer recharge rates,” it continued, adding that such disturbances “could lead to increased risks of flooding, soil erosion, and degradation of water quality in the area.”

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