The Mepa board today unanimously and rather surprisingly overturned a Refusal recommendation by the Directorate with regards to a technically very advanced application to build a solar farm in Fiddien.
This full development planning application comprises a greenhouse complex covering approximately 11,500 sq. meters, having a maximum height of 3.5m and also incorporates a Solar Farm (on top of the greenhouse complex). The aim of the proposal is to start producing various kinds of vegetables/fruits for the local market and potentially for export.
Garazd Fras, for the developers, explained that a long site selection process had taken place and no less than 28 sites were looked at between January and May last year in conjunction with Mepa.
The site is already covered by a development permit regarding the construction of glasshouses, which already cover part of the site.
Mr Fras explained to the board the details about the advanced types of glass houses to be used which will have photovoltaic panels attached to their tops. The proposed system would have water re-use facilities and proper dosage of fertiliser and will produce mainly out of season vegetables, for which there is a great demand abroad such as by Lidl which wants to cut down on the three trailers it sends to Malta every day.
He explained that this type of solar farm has been tried and was very successful in places like Croatia, Bari and Sardinia.
He justified the size of the solar farm by describing the economies of scale involved. Just to bring an electricity connection involved a €350,000 cost and the estimate increased month after month. Then the road would need to be tarmacked, etc.
It was admitted even by those who objected to the proposed development that the project is commendable and should be encouraged in view of its potential for solar electricity generation, and as a flagship for sustainable agriculture.
But the Environmental Division objected to the proposal because it was too big for the area and because of the visual impact it would have.
To this the developer and architect Tony Muscat replied by saying that the nearby Fiddien reservoir is bigger and higher than the proposed solar farm.
They also complained Mepa had been involved right from the beginning and after so much work they were never informed until at the last minute their application risked rejection.
Another reason the Mepa Directorate gave was that so far there is no policy regarding PV panels for industrial use in ODZ areas while there is one for houses.
The applicants replied that the proposed PV panels, since they would be attached to the tops of the greenhouses, would be practically invisible.
During the discussion by the board, most board members present punched holes in the Directorate's reasons for refusal. At the end, the vote was unanimous in favour of the application and against the Directorate's recommendation.