JAMES DEBONO
THE Planning Authority has ap-
proved a 10,000sq.m solar farm
on a backfilled quarry in an ar-
ea known as Ta' Bur ix-Xewk, in
the limits of Siggiewi.
The solar farm proposed by Ba-
jada New Energy will have 3,006
panels.
The Solar Farm policy which
regulates the development of
quarries in ODZ lists quarries
"which are currently operation-
al, inactive or disused" as a pre-
ferred location for solar farms.
But it also states that "quarries
which were restored before the
date of adoption of this policy
are not eligible for the develop-
ment of solar farms".
Aerial photos show that the
site has been mostly backfilled
and covered with vegetation
since 1998.
But in this case the develop-
ment was still approved because
the site is still "in the process of
being restored" since the area
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 SEPTEMBER 2023
NEWS
Solar farm approved
on 10,000sq.m
infilled Siggiewi
quarry
In 2018 the PA had ruled out a similar development on the
same site because the policy regulating solar farms excludes
such developments on backfilled and "restored" sites.
Ghajn Weekend Press Half 25 x 18 no bleeds.indd 1 Ghajn Weekend Press Half 25 x 18 no bleeds.indd 1 18/07/2023 13:15 18/07/2023 13:15
