A quarry in Mqabba will be turned into a large solar farm, should the Planning Authority accept an application which is currently being processed.

The site is located on Triq it-Torri Vincenti, Mqabba.

The Environment and Resources Authority, while commenting on the proposal through official documents, said that the proposed project will be divided into two major stages, the restoration stage and the development of the solar farm. "In order to backfill the quarry, a total of 150,370m3 of inert construction material are required."

"The proposed site measures approximately 27,933 square metres (sqm) of which 21,008sqm will be used for the proposed solar farm. The remaining 6,635sqm which is third party property will remain as open fields. The project description statement states that these will be subject to a separate development planning application."

The depth levels of the quarry vary from an elevation of 105.54m from mean sea level on the western parts of the site to an elevation of 99m from mean sea level on the eastern part of the site.

The Project Description Statement reads that the site is not sensitive from a visual, ecological and landscape point of view and given the location, scale and nature of the proposal, "no significant negative impacts are envisaged. Environmental impacts are unlikely to be negative given the similar land use of the surrounding areas."

The ERA "agrees with the proposed development permit application to assemble a solar farm in an ex-quarry including infilling of part of quarry, construction of an underground reservoir and substation and has no objection in this regard."

Transport Malta did highlight that, due to the site's proximity to the airport, it is imperative that non-reflective material is utilised for this solar farm, and reserved the right to request remedial action should it be proven that following installation it is detrimental to aeronautical operations.