Birżebbuġa cannot take more noise pollution, it is already bombarded from all directions, Melissa Bagley, a Birżebbuġa resident and Deputy Secretary General of ADPD - The Green Party and a candidate on behalf of ADPD on the 5th Electoral District of which Birżebbuġa forms part.
The proposal of a car-racing track at Ħal Far will add to the noise pollution to which Birżebbuġa is already subjected to from aeroplanes which descend towards the airport over Birżebbuġa, as well as the continuous noise resulting from the operations of the Freeport Terminal. Birżebbuġa cannot take more, she said.
The government proposal announced in celebratory mode, on the eve of a general election, shows a lack of sensitivity and signifies that, at the end of the day, Government does not care about the welfare of the residents of Birżebbuġa.
The site is already in use on weekends: the resulting acoustic pollution is being picked up as far away as Kirkop and Safi, let alone in Birżebbuġa itself. At times, this goes on well into the night, even as late as 2am.
Carmel Cacopardo, ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson emphasised that the Tal-Papa residential area in Birżebbuġa is already the zone most impacted by aircraft and Freeport Terminal noise pollution. It is also the zone closest to the planned car-racing track: it is just 1,500 metres away. In addition, there is also the Bengħajsa hamlet, as well as a number of rural residential units.
The land on which the racing track proposal may be developed forms part of the Ħal Far Industrial Estate. Malta Industrial Parks is releasing land forming part of an industrial estate on which only industrial development is permissible in terms of the Local Plans.
The acoustic pollution generated will also have an impact on an area of ecological importance around 600 metres away. We will have to wait and see what steps will be taken by ERA, the environment protection regulator, in line with its remit.
No site in Malta can reasonably accommodate this racing track without being the cause of extreme nuisance to residents, damaging to the environment or both. Malta is small in size. The sooner this basic fact sinks in, the better. It should be realised that there is no room for projects such as this car-racing track. In part this is the price we have to pay for a lack of planning over the years.
We are aware that both the PN and the PL are supporting this madness. Both of them are willing to accommodate the racing track lobby. This is the practical way in which they demonstrate how they are willing to sacrifice the quality of life of the Birżebbuġa residents in their drive to satisfy the racing track lobby.
The next step in this saga is when the Planning Authority publishes the detailed drawings it has received. ADPD will be at the forefront in objecting to the proposed development which is incompatible with the quality of life which Birżebbuġa residents rightfully expect. Only Green MPs in the next parliament can apply the brakes to this madness. PLPN is not interested in the welfare of residents: they are only interested in raw power.