Restored Mqabba quarry could be turned into solar farm
A restored quarry in Mqabba could be turned into a large solar farm, should the Planning Authority accept the application set to be decided on Thursday.
The total site area covers approximately 65,640 square metres and it is estimated that circa 53,600 square metres will be used for the installation of the 14,400 photovoltaic panels, generating a total electricity of 5,180KW.
The site in question, located outside development zone, consists of an infilled quarry along IxXagħri L-Imqalleb and Triq isSiġġiewi, in the limits of Mqabba. The surrounding areas consist mainly of quarries and agricultural land in the vicinity. The site extents are accessible via two gates which were used by the construction vehicles during the infill process of the quarry.
NGO Nature Trust Malta, as per an email sent to the authority, wants the periphery of the site to be landscaped with local trees. However, the architect said that trees along the site will cast shadows over areas of photovoltaic farm thus affecting the overall performance of the PV panels.
”Nonetheless, proposal includes the planting of 18 carob trees on the north part of the site, as these would not affect the PV performance together with the planting of creeper plants around the entire perimeter of the site and a bank guarantee is also being imposed accordingly,” the case officer noted in his report.
The officer notes that the solar farm policy lists quarries as ‘preferred locations’ for the installation of the PV panels. “In view of the latter, the Planning Directorate acknowledges the site as a quarry in process of being restored since the quarry has been infilled; however, the vegetation for the after use has not been finalised yet, hence never reaching the agricultural state. In this regard, it is important to note that the area adjacent to Triq IsSiġġiewi is partly restored, however, as per comments of the Planning Directorate’s Advisory Team (PDAT) at minute 63, “panels will also be considered within the part of the quarry which has been restored”. In view of the latter, the proposal is considered highly positively to the contribution of the 2020 target of the renewable energy.”
The case officer has recommended that the project be approved. This development permission would however, be subject to a bank guarantee to the value of €54,300 to cover any failure to implement the landscaping scheme or to maintain the landscaping to the satisfaction of PA.