PA 02926/16: RE-DEVELOPMENT OF DISUSED

QUARRY FOR MOTORSPORT USE AT BARRIERA TA'

L-AĦRAX, MELLIEĦA, MALTA

SITE REPORT

Version 1: December 2018

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Report Reference:

Adi Associates Environmental Consultants Ltd, 2018. PA 02926/16: Re-

Development of Disused Quarry for Motorsport Use at Barriera ta' l-Aħrax,

Mellieħa, Malta. Site Report. San Gwann, December 2018; iii + 15 pp.

THIS IS A DIGITAL COPY OF THE REPORT.

RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT – KEEP IT DIGITAL

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This document has been prepared in accordance with the scope

of Adi Associates’ appointment with its client and is subject to the terms of that appointment. It is addressed to and for the sole and confidential use and reliance of Adi Associates’ client.

Adi Associates accepts no liability for any use of this document other than by its client and only for the purposes for which it was

prepared and provided. Except as provided for by legislation, no person other than the client may copy (in whole or in part) use or rely on the contents of this document, without the prior written permission of Adi Associates. Any advice, opinions, or

recommendations within this document should be read and relied upon only in the context of the document as a whole. The

contents of this document do not provide legal or tax advice or

opinion. It is pointed out that ISO14001 certification covers the

management system only and not the contents of this report.

© Adi Associates Environmental Consultants Ltd 2018

Kappara Business Centre

113 Triq Birkirkara

San Gwann SGN 4197

MALTA

Tel. / Fax: 21378172 - 77

Email: info@adi-associates.com

Web: www.adi-associates.com

Quality Assurance

PA 02926/16: Re-Development of Disused Quarry for Motorsport Use at Barriera

ta' l-Aħrax, Mellieħa, Malta Site Report

December 2018

Report for: Malta Motorsports Federation

Revision Schedule

Rev Date Details Written by: Checked by: Approved by:

00 Dec. 2018 Submission to client Ryan Cilia

Assistant Environmental Monitor

Rachel Decelis

Senior Environmental Consultant

Adrian Mallia Managing Director

File ref: G:\_Active Projects\Planning Services\Private Sector Planning Support\MMF001 - Ahrax Quarry race

track\Reports\Site report.docx

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CONTENTS

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1

Terms of Reference .................................................................................................................................... 1

Site History ................................................................................................................................................... 3

Site Description ........................................................................................................................................... 5

Description of the Scheme ..................................................................................................................... 12

Waste Management .................................................................................................................................. 15

FIGURES

Figure 1: Location of the Scheme site .................................................................................................... 2

Figure 2: Aerial photo (1957) ................................................................................................................... 4

Figure 3: Site overview ............................................................................................................................... 5

Figure 4: Fly-tipped waste ......................................................................................................................... 6

Figure 5: Rock mounds .............................................................................................................................. 6

Figure 6: Soil and clay mounds ................................................................................................................. 7

Figure 7: Seagrass debris / sand mound section ................................................................................... 7

Figure 8: Trench locations ......................................................................................................................... 9

Figure 9: Trench 1 photos ...................................................................................................................... 10

Figure 10: Trench 2 photos ................................................................................................................... 11

Figure 11: Scheme layout ........................................................................................................................ 14

TABLES

Table 1: Fly-tipped waste ........................................................................................................................ 15

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SITE REPORT

INTRODUCTION

1. Adi Associates Environmental Consultants Ltd was commissioned by the Malta

Motorsports Federation to prepare a site report for the proposed development of a

disused quarry at l-Aħrax, l/o Mellieħa for motorsport use.

2. Malta Motorsports Federation is hereinafter referred to as ‘the Applicant’, and the

project is hereinafter referred to as ‘the Scheme’.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

3. The Applicant submitted an application for development permission in 2011, and in

2014, the Environment Protection Directorate of the then Malta Environment and

Planning Authority (now the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA)) requested

analysis of wastes and core samples from site.

4. Following a meeting and site visit held with ERA in May 2017, it was agreed that a

report would be drawn up providing:

1. available information on the site history (including selected historical

aerial photographs);

2. site description, including the results of the above trenching study;

3. a proposal for the removal and management of the bulky waste

currently deposited on site; and

4. details of the proposal, including fencing arrangements as agreed

with the PA, and landscaping.

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Figure 1: Location of the Scheme site

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SITE HISTORY

5. The Scheme site was formerly used as a quarry. In the 1906 survey sheet for the

area, the site is labelled as ‘Barriera ta L’Ahrash’.

6. An aerial photo from 1957, showing the quarry when it was still in use is included in

Figure 2. Mineral extraction stopped in the late 1980s.

7. The site was later used by the Beach Cleaning Section of the Government of Malta

for dumping of sea-grass banquettes debris and other material collected from the

sandy beaches in the north of Malta.

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Figure 2: Aerial photo (1957)

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SITE DESCRIPTION

8. A site visit was carried out on 22nd May 2017. An overview of the site is shown in

Figure 3.

Figure 3: Site overview

9. As noted at the site visit, what remains of the deposited sea-grass debris is largely

sand, with the sea-grass debris component having largely decomposed or been blown

away, leaving the sand in situ, which in places is also covered by various forms of

vegetation, including species typical of sand dunes. The sea-grass debris / sand

mound was noted to be 5 – 6 m high in places.

10. Fly-tipping was noted on site; however, this is mainly of a non-hazardous and bulky

nature which can be easily removed manually (Figure 4).

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Figure 4: Fly-tipped waste

11. There are also mounds of boulders (consistent with the rock in the area) in places on

site (Figure 5). These are most probably remnant boulders from the former

quarrying operation.

Figure 5: Rock mounds

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12. Parts of the site have been taken over by squatters, who have also dumped material

(soil / clay) into the former quarry (Figure 6). The Applicant is currently making

efforts to ensure that remaining squatters are vacated from the site.

Figure 6: Soil and clay mounds

13. However, there is no evidence on site to suggest that the site was used for significant

dumping of construction waste generated off-site, or hazardous waste. An eroded

section through the seaweed mound (Figure 7), present during the above site visit,

did not reveal any buried waste beneath the surface.

Figure 7: Seagrass debris / sand mound section

14. In agreement with ERA, a trenching exercise was carried out in the sea-grass debris /

sand mound in order to establish whether there is any evidence of hazardous waste

having been deposited on site. ERA has agreed that if no evidence of hazardous

waste dumping is found, no chemical analysis needs to be carried out.

15. Two trenches were opened using an excavator. Trenching was carried out on 2nd

December 2017; the location of the trenches is shown in Figure 8. Each trench was

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excavated to around 3 m depth, and had a length of 2 – 3 m and a width of around 1

m. The material excavated and the trench profiles were examined visually to

establish whether there is any evidence of hazardous waste having been deposited.

16. Trench 1 mainly consisted of sand and sea-grass debris. There were only small

quantities of dumped waste – mainly plastic and wood items, which are considered to

be non-hazardous.

17. Trench 2 mainly consisted of soil and stones / masonry, with some sand debris.

There were minimal quantities of dumped waste, namely a small length of rope and a

small quantity of plastic material, which is also classified as non-hazardous.

18. The available data therefore indicates that the Scheme site has not been used for

dumping of hazardous material.

19. Photographs taken during the trenching exercise are presented in Figure 9 (Trench

1) and Figure 10 (Trench 2).

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Figure 8: Trench locations

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Figure 9: Trench 1 photos

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Figure 10: Trench 2 photos

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DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHEME

20. The Applicant intends to redevelop the site as a race track for motorsport use; the

Scheme layout is shown in Figure 11.

21. As agreed with ERA, the seagrass debris / sand will be retained on site, and will be

used for re-contouring purposes. Additional material will be introduced on site so as

to grade and level areas so that through compaction, sufficient stability is achieved in

order to withstand stress from vehicles in line with international motorsport

guidelines.

22. The Scheme will include a car park, portable toilets and temporary storage

containers (for storage of race equipment and barriers) to be installed as needed for

any event.

23. A boundary wall is proposed on the north and north-eastern portions of the site; this

will be composed of a low wall with chain-link fencing. The remaining portion of the

boundary will be surrounded by a 1 m high rubble wall1 in order to prevent

unauthorised access and illegal fly tipping in the future.

24. The majority of the area will remain untouched whereas most of the vegetation

present (excluding invasive alien species) will remain and be added to using a

selection of indigenous trees and shrubbery. Species of Tamarix africana, Vitex agnus-

castus and Nerium oleander (single pink flower only) will be used for landscaping.

These species would not only withstand the current soil characteristics, mainly loose

material with high salt content, but also provide an ecologically sound habitat typical

of similar areas whilst also providing ample visual amenity since two of the species

selected produce a considerable amount of flowers.

25. During the site visit several individuals of invasive alien species were observed,

including Acacia sp. and Nicotiana glauca. As agreed with ERA, these will be uprooted. Uprooting will be timed to ensure that these species are not in the fruiting or

flowering period and especially not when the seeds are ripe2.

26. It is important that prolific seed producers and / or other species which readily

spread by vegetative growth are destroyed. Therefore the plant material removed

will be burnt on site in a skip, subject to any relevant notification or registration that

may be required by ERA.

27. Moreover, in accordance with ERA’s draft guidance document on works involving

1 The use of rubble walling is considered to be more in keeping with the rural character of the site; however,

alternative options could be considered in agreement with the PA and ERA. 2 MEPA (2013) Guidelines on managing non-native plant invaders and restoring native plant communities in terrestrial

settings in the Maltese Islands http://www.mta.com.mt/loadfile.ashx?id=aad73750-0eb7-4c76-9583-aa15d3c64883.

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trees,3 these uprooted alien species will be compensated for using a ratio of 1:1 using

the previously mentioned Tamarix africana and Vitex agnus-castus.

3 ERA (2018) Guidelines on Works involving Trees.

https://era.org.mt/en/Documents/Guidelines%20on%20Trees%20-%20Draft%20Public%20Consultation.pdf.

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Figure 11: Scheme layout

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WASTE MANAGEMENT

28. As mentioned, fly-tipping was noted on site, and small amounts of non-hazardous

waste were noted to have been deposited in the sea-grass / sand mound. This

section includes a waste management plan for this waste.

29. Table 1 lists the types of wastes encountered during the site visit and trenching

exercise.

Table 1: Fly-tipped waste

EWC code Description

16 01 03 Tyres

15 01 02

19 12 04

Plastic containers (e.g. drums / jerry cans, plastic sheeting, bottles)

Other plastic items (e.g. chairs, pipes, picnic coolers, boundary tape, rope)

15 01 01 Cardboard

15 01 04 Metal items, including tins

19 12 08 Cloth / textile

15 01 03

19 12 07

Wooden items (e.g. boxes, pallets, chair)

17 01 03 Ceramic items (e.g. toilet cistern)

15 01 07 Glass bottle

30. A surface clean-up of the fly-tipped waste will be carried out. Waste will be

segregated by type and stored temporarily in appropriate containers on site (e.g.

skips) prior to removal. Other waste, which might emerge during the re-contouring

and levelling works will also be treated in the same way.

31. Waste will then be transported from the site to authorised facilities using waste

carriers registered for that type of waste, or collected by authorised waste brokers.

The authorised waste carriers / brokers / receiving facilities to be used will be

selected by the contractors engaged for the works at a later stage; the ERA website4

will be checked to confirm the permitted status of these entities. Where possible,

and provided that the waste is sufficiently clean, recycling facilities will be preferred

over disposal facilities.

32. A record will be kept of the type and quantity of waste removed from site.

33. In the unlikely event that any hazardous waste be encountered on site, this will be

segregated from the remaining waste and disposed of at a facility authorised to

receive that waste.

4 ERA. Waste carriers. https://era.org.mt/en/Pages/Waste-Carriers.aspx.

ERA. Waste brokers. https://era.org.mt/en/Pages/Waste-Brokers.aspx.

ERA. Waste management applications. https://era.org.mt/en/Pages/Waste-Management-Applications.aspx.