Din l-Art Helwa said that it has reached an agreement “in principle” with the Ministry for Gozo and Planning about the works proposed for the Marsalforn Road [1] between Victoria and Marsalforn, “which we believe represents the best possible compromise.”
Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri had announced that an agreement was reached with DLH during discussions, which also involved the Gozo Business Chamber, not to uproot a number of trees in the road project due to take place between Victoria and Marsalforn.
It was also advised that the project is due to get underway in a few weeks time.
Din l-Art Helwa said that it is “pleased that most of the large, mature trees will be retained and far less agricultural and natural land will be swallowed up in the road construction project.”
However, the NGO added that, “we are still awaiting details from the Ministry regarding the exact number of trees to be saved from the original proposal and the square metres of expropriated land, initially designated for road development and which will now be returned to the natural environment and replanted with endemic trees and shrubs before a formal agreement can be announced.”
Din l-Art Helwa stressed that during the consultation with the Ministry for Gozo, it was “always in dialogue with the NGO ROTA and the Gozo Cycling Club, to understand properly the issue of the original bicycle lane that had been included in the original plans presented to the Planning Authority.”
File photo: DLH