The Mepa board today approved a 200-berth yacht marina at Sa Maison and Pieta, replacing the Gozo Channel berth.
Originally, that is in 2009, the application was for the construction of a breakwater near the Excelsior Hotel but many technical problems intervened to remove the breakwater from the application.
Then in 2010 Mepa ordered an Environment Impact Assessment which took five years to complete.
The aim of the yacht marina is to continue to improve Malta's competitive edge seeing the great demand there is for yachting berths.
Secondarily, the application intends to upgrade the area which has become rather decrepit.
As said earlier, the project will remove the ro-ro and the berthing facilities for Gozo Channel which uses the area once a week. Talks are being held with a view to relocate the Gozo Channel berth to the Grand Harbour. The security gate between the Gozo Channel area and Haywharf further along the bastions will be moved further back. A new jetty, 4m by 40m will be built on the Pieta side. It was later emphasized that all work will be done from a barge in the street and there will be no interruptions in the very busy Marina Street.
There will be four pontoons on one side and two on the other side.
Right now, boats are anchored in the bay without any organization. Instead a 50m wide fairway will now allow them to go out to sea.
A new junction will be built at the bottom of the Sa Maison road leading to the Police HQ. And Mepa persuaded the applicant (Transport Malta) not to build an Enemalta substation on the glacis. Instead, this will be housed together with offices in a low building that will probably be at the end of the Sa Maison hill.
Without a trace of irony in his voice, architect Bonanno told the board the marina will respect the bastions. He was referring to concern expressed by the Heritage Advisory Committee. But it all looks too trite considering the huge obscene concrete construction set up by AFM further along the bastions. However, AFM does not need any Mepa permit, it had been pointed out. And yesterday it was revealed that AFM did not even reply when asked by Mepa regarding this yacht marina.
All the foreshore of the marina will allow public access.
Adrian Mallia, who did the Environment Impact Assessment, provided many interesting details on the application.
One of the issues that was studied regarded wave formation and what happens not just in the one in a year storm, nor the one in 10 years but the one in a century storm. (Remember this application began life as a breakwater application, first near Excelsior and then at Manoel Island).
In the one in 100 years storm, the waves would be 9m high at the entrance of the Marsamxett Harbour, reducing to 3.2m near Manoel Island and crashing into the Ta'Xbiex seafront.
But the real danger to yachts in the marina comes not from such a storm but from the worst storm in a year that can rock the yachts when they are berthed.
Contrary to what was thought, the waves hitting this inner part of the bay do not flow out to sea but turn to the Msida Creek.
No archaeological finds have been made but there are two shipwrecks in the outer part of Marsamxett and an unknown 18th or 19th vessel off Ta'Xbiex.
Reusing the Sa Maison - Pieta bay for yachting retains the naval use of the site which used to be used, in past years, by the P&O vessels and the lighters.
As to the construction methods to be used, EPD suggested not dredging the silt in the bay and carrying it away because the silt is contaminated with mercury. It would be better if te silt is allowed to stay in place with as little disturbance as possible.
The application was unanimously approved.