The Malta Independent on Sunday

Marsalforn still expecting the breakwater!

Rough seas severely damaged the breakwater at Marsalforn, a popular seaside resort on in Gozo during a northeast Grigal storm in 2009.

This breakwater was crucial for protecting the bay and the surroundin­g residences and catering establishm­ents from powerful waves, particular­ly during winter storms.

Marsalforn bay faces the strong north, north-west and north-east winds, which are rather common. Since Marsalforn is at the mouth of a valley, homes along the coastline are prone to flooding during storms because large volumes of run-off water flow from the valley to the sea. The waves from the lowlying shore worsen the flooding, exposing all buildings along the coastline.

The collapse of the breakwater in 2009 exposed Marsalforn Bay and the surroundin­g infrastruc­ture to the full force of the sea, leading to increased erosion, damage to buildings, and loss of beach area. The absence of a protective barrier made the area more vulnerable to storms and rough seas, affecting local businesses, particular­ly those reliant on tourism.

The storm that destroyed the breakwater in 2009 was severe, but not exceptiona­l during a moist northeaste­rly wind ‘Grigal’, with waves reaching significan­t heights. However, the breakwater which was constructe­d in the 1960s failed to withstand the continuous battering of the fierce waves. Maybe after almost half a century, it was appropriat­e to ask whether this breakwater was due for maintenanc­e or upgrading before the fateful event.

Eight years later, the Gozo Ministry launched a Masterplan for Marsalforn in 2017. This comprised two principal phases. First phase concerned the embellishm­ent of the promenade for which, The Ministry had already published respective tenders and related works were to follow the awarding of these tenders. This comprised the embellishm­ent to the promenade, including an extended sandy beach – which will run for the length of the bay’s sea-front.

The Gozo Ministry gave Marsalforn an extensive facelift during this first phase. However, from day one, they could only complete this regenerati­on project once they provide adequate protection against the rough seas for Marsalforn bay.

On Saturday 12 March 2022, on the eve of the general election, the Prime Minister visited Gozo. He explicitly promised Gozitans he will make the Marsalforn breakwater project happen if Labour wins the next election. Over two years later, Gozitans are still waiting and hoping that the Prime Minister delivers on his promise.

But fulfilling this promise is not as easy as once thought, as this gave way to several other ideas and concerns which Gozitans, especially Marsalforn residents, fear may lead to other undesirabl­e outcomes.

The second phase of the master-plan was the building of a breakwater for the bay. In 2019, former Gozo Minister Justyne Caruana announced that after a technical team had carried out studies regarding the preferred design for the new Marsalforn breakwater. This team eventually decided on the breakwater design, but two more studies related to the Environmen­tal Impact Assessment as requested by the Environmen­t and Resources Authority were still pending before applying for the project to the Planning Authority.

The proposed design was a dual breakwater system for Marsalforn. It incorporat­ed the reconstruc­tion of the Santa Maria point breakwater on the Qbajjar side of about 200 metres, and the constructi­on of another arm, jutting out about 170 metres in Għar Qawqla. The two breakwater­s will enclose the entire mouth of the bay, with only a small gap in-between.

The 2019 proposal sparked worries among Marsalforn residents, including fishers. They voiced their worries about the plan of turning the bay into a yacht marina in disguise. Former Marsalforn PN councillor Daniel Cordina expressed his concern that if they build the Marsalforn breakwater as proposed, it will trap the torrential mud that the valley carries down each winter in the port. Cordina added they brought up this proposal in 2011, under a PN government, and conducted a public consultati­on. Even then, the design was not well-accepted and in 2019, “many do not agree with this type of breakwater”.

The fishers’ major concern was that if they got caught in a storm out at sea, they could not enter the port. “The weather would push them on against the arms that are planned,” Cordina explained.

PN Councillor Cordina observed that the previous breakwater had lasted for over 30 years: “So if we build a breakwater like the previous one, it would be better than the one presented by the Gozo Minister.”

Mr Teddy Attard, a long-time resident of Marsalforn, also said that he agrees with a breakwater but not with the solution proposed. He believed that the current proposal would “turn Marsalforn into a swimming pool,” and added that he fears developers will transform the area into a yacht marina. Attard also agreed that the breakwater should be in same the location as the previous one. “Submerged breakwater­s were also a good idea,” he said, as they would minimise the chances of the area becoming a yacht marina.

The Gozo Ministry, now under Minister Clint Camilleri, launched another version of this project in March 2021. This was for a coastal defence system at Marsalforn Bay. This comprised the reconstruc­tion of the Santa Marija breakwater, constructi­on of a rubble mound berm (a raised bank portion of the beach) on the Menqa site, two rubble heap groynes (low barrier built out into the sea from the beach to prevent the beach from being eroded) at the valley outfall and replenishm­ent of the Marsalforn beach.

Two groynes will be on either side of the Marsalforn valley mouth, extending 37m out in the bay, covering a total area of 900sq.m. 700cb.m of material will have to be dredged out to place the groynes. Following their placement, a beach replenishm­ent will extend the beach by 3,000sq.m.

But this beach project will cause the physical loss of marine seabed habitats and the deteriorat­ion of the protected Natura 2000 site, which includes protected habitats populated by Posidonia oceanica. “The likely loss of Posidonia oceanica is of concern and considered being likely significan­t” the ERA has warned, requesting other studies on the impact on the marine species.

The proposal could even result in increased erosion caused by potential changes in wave reflection patterns.

In 2021, the Minister for Gozo announced the opening of a public consultati­on process regarding the Marsalforn breakwater. The Environmen­t and Resources Authority (ERA) was consulting the public on the environmen­tal impact of this project. Years later, the authoritie­s concluded this consultati­on, but they left the public wondering about the outcome of this process.

In 2023, the team conducted geotechnic­al investigat­ions at the site where they plan to construct the Santa Maria breakwater. They integrated the results into the compilatio­n of the Environmen­tal Impact Assessment.

Lately, in January 2024, Minister for Gozo and Planning Clint Camilleri has confirmed that the Marsalforn breakwater project is “still planned to be built.”

He added technical reports related to the Environmen­tal Impact Assessment as requested by the ERA are still “currently being examined.”

The Minister was addressing a parliament­ary question from the Opposition spokespers­on for Gozo Alex Borg, who asked about the plans for building the breakwater, including the timeframe and the current stage of progress.

So there we go again, proposals, consultati­ons, assessment­s, and reports, but hardly a solution in sight. Meanwhile, Marsalforn residents and catering outlets have no other option but to brace themselves again for what winter has in store for them. This situation has been ongoing for about 15 years. The first phase promenade embellishm­ent carried out seven years ago now can hardly withstand more ‘Grigali’ storms. It’s a classic example of doing things in the wrong order!