Central Link project ‘is sustainable’ and is ‘unfortunately’ necessary, Herrera says

The Central Link project, which has attracted a raft of protests since its approval, has been described as "sustainable" and "unfortunately necessary" by Environment Minister Jose Herrera.

Asked by The Malta Independent whether he felt that the controversial project is sustainable, Herrera said that from advice given to him by the ERA and given the reduction in environmental impact of the project, the fact there will be a net increase in the number of trees, and the infrastrucural necessity of the project, it was his conclusion that it is sustainable.

The environment minister had attended a protest in 2017 against the proposed development of a school on ODZ land in Pembroke, emphasising the need for public land to be protected and for development to be sustainable.

Asked whether he would be attending any of the protests planned as a result of infrastructural projects such as the Central Link project and the Santa Lucija underpass to make a similar statement, Herrera was coy, noting that in this case the infrastructural projects proposed are "unfortunately" necessary.

He noted that he had pronounced himself as of late on several other developments, and that the ERA had also begun to take action against other developments, showing that it is acting well in its capacity as the environmental regulator.

He said that it was an electoral pledge to address Malta's infrastructure as there was a general feeling that Malta's roads are not adequate for the needs of the present day, adding that therefore the government had a responsibility and that he is hence one of those who has such a responsibility.

Speaking on a personal level, Herrera said that the project is "unfortunately necessary" as otherwise there would have been full congestion.

This is why, he said, there has to be balance and compensation for these losses. He cited environmental projects above Regional Road in Santa Venera, Benghajsa, Ta' Qali, and Wied Fulija which are all going through a process of environmental embellishment to be changed into parks as examples of this balance being played out.

He said that his job as environment minister is to minimise the impact of development and balance it out, which is what he is doing.

Asked about the transplantation of trees which is currently underway in Santa Lucija, Herrera said that this process is being monitored by the ERA which has its own experts in this field and noted that Transport Malta will "definitely" not act without the guidance of the ERA.

Ryan Vella from the NGO Ghaqda Sigar Maltin told The Malta Independent in an interview published yesterday that one does not have to be an expert to know that transplantations are best done in winter when the tree is dormant, and not in July or August when it is at peak growth, for the best chances of survival.

Disused landfill to make way for new nature park

Meanwhile, it was also announced yesterday that a disused landfill in Fulija valley on the outskirts of Zurrieq will be rehabilitated with thousands of trees and shrubs to become a national park.

The project, 85% of which is EU funded, will see approximately 95,000 square metres be adorned with a total of 45,000 indigenous trees and shrubs, most of which will be endemic.

Herrera said that he sees this project as part of his vision for the country's environment. He said that infrastructural projects which are of the national interest cannot be stopped as they will negatively affect people's quality of life.

However, he said, these losses have to be compensated through projects such as these.

He noted that by the end of the project, the site will be going back to the people.

He noted that in the next few months he hopes to have a similar announcement to implement new laws which would see land degraded due to construction or where works cannot be carried out due to enforcement notices taken for afforestation projects. He said there are approximately 1,000 tumuli of such land in existence.

Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds Aaron Farrugia said that this project will cost some €4 million, and will give a derelict site back to Maltese and Gozitan families.

He said that he was looking forward to securing funds in the coming EU Budget Period to keep having the environment as a priority.

John Luke Zarb, the project architect, explained that a capping layer will be built to give a layer of soil where plants can eventually be planted. Vegetation in the valley will be planted between the two present mounds.

Glass will also be used as inert material in this capping process, hence not using more material and reducing the carbon footprint.

The site was used as a landfill ever since the 1970s, with over a million tonnes of waste being dumped on the site, some of it glass, up until it ceased operations in 1996.

Works on the project started last March, with the rehabilitation expected to be completed by 2020 and the capping and landscaping by 2023.