Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/354989
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 30 JULY 2014 News 6 MFA to go solar MEPA to consider Preluna beach concession application JAMES DEBONO THE Malta Football Association is to contribute to Malta's renewable energy output by using the huge space in and around the national stadium for this purpose. The association has recently pre- sented a planning application, which envisions the development of a mas- sive solar farm in and around the Ta' Qali national stadium, consisting of 4,763 solar panels covering over 31,480 square metres of land. The solar farm proposed by the MFA will include 2,304 panels set on an existing car park, 512 panels on the west stand, 720 panels on a reservoir, 720 panels on land oppo- site the reservoir, 318 panels on the stadium's roof and 189 panels on the centenary ground's stand. MEPA is currently drafting a pol- icy on solar farms. The objective is to establish a policy framework for the development of solar farms. The policy is set to prioritise the devel- opment of solar infrastructure on large-scale rooftops and on land already committed to industrial de- velopment and for quarries. Installing solar panels in stadiums is becoming a global trend. Complete with 6,000 solar panels, Mineirão was the first World Cup stadium ever powered by solar en- ergy. The plant's installed capacity of 1,600 megawatts-hour per year (1.4 MW) is enough to power 1,200 households, according to the Brazil- ian federal government's World Cup website. 10 percent of the energy produced is used in powering the Mineirão staduium and the rest is transferred to consumers. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt A full planning application foresee- ing the extension of the existing Preluna Beach Club beach concession into the adjacent rocky coast has been presented to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority. The new application envisions the placing and hiring of sunbeds and umbrellas over 310 square metres of public land under the Fortizza at Ghar id-Dud in Sliema. A preliminary screening application was submitted to MEPA on 8 April. The Malta Environment and Plan- ning Authority validated the applica- tion on 17 July after the developers were informed in a screening letter sent by MEPA of planning or policy constraints. The public has till 18 August to present objections to this applica- tion. The Sliema local council has al- ready asked its architects to study plans before deciding on whether to present an objection or not. The latest proposal includes the paving of the existing concrete stretch with what the developers de- scribe as 'natural' stone. The application also envisions the construction of a new reversible concrete platform adjacent to the existing concrete stretch, and its paving with 'natural' stone. A staircase to link the current beach club to the proposed ex- tension is also being proposed while plans have been submitted to change the existing concrete boundary with one built using "natural" rock. In the preliminary application submitted to MEPA on 8 April, the applicant declared that the govern- ment has granted consent to the proposal, which effectively means taking over land that is already public property. MaltaToday is informed that it is standard policy to give consent to any application presented on pub- lic land with the government re- serving its judgement on whether to privatise the land or not after a MEPA decision on the proposed development. The Sliema local council is already objecting to another development of leisure facilities across 800 square metres of pristine rocky shoreline in Qui-Si-Sana just below the Qui-Si- Sana public garden. The development is earmarked for "leisure development" and consists of lavatories, showers, an attendant's area and rows of sunbeds, which are set to cover the rocky shoreline. The application was presented by ho- telier Michael Stivala on 15 March, 2013 and was published in newspa- pers on 21 September. The proposal includes the paving of the concrete stretch with 'natural' stone