Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1497522
NEWS 7 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 19 APRIL 2023 JAMES DEBONO A projected 16,399 tonnes of compost will be produced an- nually by an organic processing plant proposed on 20,600sq.m of agricultural land in Maghtab. The plant will be next to the approved incinerator, which still has to be built, an Environ- mental Impact Assessment of the project reveals. The compost produced will abide with EU legislation lim- iting dangerous impurities and chemicals and unlike that produced from the existing recycling plant which is most- ly used as lining for the engi- neered landfill it can be used directly in agriculture. The proposed plant will occu- py an area presently consisting of nine fields which were until recently used for wheat and hay cultivation on land earmarked for the Wasteserv ECOHIVE Complex. The facility will be designed to accept a maximum quantity of 74,300 tonnes a year of sepa- rated organic waste. The biogas produced from such an amount of waste could yield around 49,000,000 KWh a year in en- ergy. The biogas will be stored in a Biogas Storage Bubble with a storage of 700 cubic metres. The biogas will be dehumid- ified and cleaned to remove hydrogen sulfide before being used as fuel. The project will also help the country to achieve landfilling disposal to 10% by weight of the waste generated by 2035. The diversion of organic waste from the landfill and the production of organic fertiliz- er will result in a lower release of methane, a greenhouse gas which contributes to global warming. But the EIA also warns that warmer air temperatures re- sulting from climate change could alter the rate of decom- position of waste, increase dust and odour nuisance. But the proposed infrastructure together with the continuous monitoring should address these issues. The visual assessment showed that the scheme would have a moderate to "substantial ad- verse impact" from all view- points during the construction phase whereas a substantial ad- verse impact during the opera- tional phase. The use of earth colours and textures is recommended but this will only marginally limit these impacts. THE Superintendence for Cul- tural Heritage is objecting to the proposed demolition of a protect- ed townhouse in Triq il-Madonna tas-Sacro Cuor in Sliema to make way for an eight storey high block. The property in question is a list- ed Grade 2 building which has sig- nificant architectural and histori- cal value which is being proposed for demolition in an application presented by Excel Investments Limited, a company partly owned by construction magnate Joseph Portelli. In an application presented by ar- chitect Maria Schembri Grima the construction group is proposing a maisonette at ground floor level, six apartments, and one penthouse at receded floor level. The application proposes the re- construction of the façade "accord- ing to the urban landscape", with a traditional balcony still being re- tained in its design and a new door replacing a ground floor window. According to prevailing policies "permission to demolish" Grade 2 buildings is "not normally giv- en" and alterations to the interior are only allowed if "carried out sensitively and causing the least detriment to the character and architectural homogeneity of the building." The SCH warned that the de- velopment as currently proposed would result in the loss of a sched- uled property of a significant cul- tural heritage value and thus is ob- jectionable in principle. Din l-Art Helwa is also object- ing to the proposed development noting that the proposed build- ing does not suit the "character and distinctness of this traditional streetscape". DLH warned that the development will result in an in- appropriate building height that is completely out of context with its surroundings. Organic plant to produce 16,000 tonnes of compost for farms Portelli group proposes demolition of listed Sliema building Compost produced from new plant built on 20,000 sq.m of agricultural land in Maghtab will abide to EU safety rules and can be used by farmers