NGOs secure major concessions in Gozo road project

A five-year campaign by environmental organisations has compelled the Gozo Ministry to revise plans for a controversial road upgrade between Marsalforn and Victoria.

The revised project significantly reduces the environmental footprint of the €9 million initiative.

The Shift has confirmed that the Gozo Ministry submitted new plans to the Planning Authority through a minor amendment procedure, mitigating the project’s environmental impact.

In 2021, the Planning Authority approved a permit allowing the Gozo Ministry to widen the road, requiring the acquisition of 11,000 square meters of agricultural land and the removal of 300 mature trees.

Despite strong objections from environmentalists, who argued the road was rarely congested and did not require expansion, the Planning Authority proceeded with the permit.

Public outcry and protests led the government to reconsider its approach. Following negotiations between Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri and environmental NGOs, including Din l-Art Ħelwa and Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, amendments have been submitted to limit ecological damage.

A Gozo Ministry spokesperson confirmed to The Shift that the revised plans, agreed upon with the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), reduce land uptake and tree removal.

“The 2019 permit allowed for more extensive land use and tree uprooting than the new plans. Two applications have been submitted to amend the existing permit in line with the agreed revisions,” the spokesperson said.

When asked whether the project’s €9 million budget would be adjusted and whether a new tendering process would be required, the spokesperson said, “Most works remain within the scope of the original contract. If additional services, works, or supplies fall outside the initial agreement, new procurement procedures will be initiated.”

Under the revised plans, tree removal will be minimised, with 202 trees preserved, 86 relocated, and 300 new indigenous trees planted.

The land usage has also been significantly reduced, with land acquisition cut from 11,000 to 5,175 square metres. Four hundred square metres of agricultural land will be paved.

Initially spearheaded by former Gozo Minister Justyne Caruana, the project was awarded to PRAX Ltd, a company owned by developer Joseph Portelli and associates Mark Agius and Daniel Refalo.

PRAX Ltd also operates an illegal concrete batching plant in Kerċem, which is still operational despite an enforcement order. No action has been taken to shut it down, and the Opposition has also remained silent on the issue.