Momentum has called on the Planning Authority to refuse plans for an industrial-scale solar farm on Ta' Kuljat Hill in Żebbuġ, Gozo, warning that the project would damage protected countryside and set a dangerous precedent for similar developments.
The proposal, filed under planning application PA/03747/26, would see a ground-mounted photovoltaic solar farm spread across around 27,360 square meters of exposed hilltop land.
In a statement, Momentum said it supports Malta's transition to renewable energy but insisted that such projects should not come at the expense of protected rural landscapes.
The party said national planning policy identifies more suitable locations for large-scale solar projects, including rooftops, industrial areas, quarries and other already developed or disturbed sites.
According to Momentum, the proposed site lies within an Area of High Landscape Sensitivity and mapped garrigue habitat. It said the development would also require supporting infrastructure, including electricity connections, trenching and access for heavy machinery.
The party warned that placing solar panels on the land would destroy protected garrigue habitat, displace native flora and fauna, compact and seal soil, and cause permanent damage to the natural environment.
Momentum said the application appears to conflict with the Gozo and Comino Local Plan, the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development, and the 2021 Solar Farm Policy, which it said excludes large-scale solar farms from garrigue and open countryside.
Rather than using pristine land, Momentum called on the Government to establish public-private partnerships to install solar panels on existing public infrastructure.
It pointed to public buildings, schools and large public car parks, including those in Victoria, Marsalforn and Xlendi, as potential sites that could generate clean energy while also providing shaded parking.
Carmel Asciak, an executive committee member of Momentum, said the objection was not against renewable energy, but against placing industrial-scale development in one of Gozo's protected landscapes when better alternatives already exist.
"This is not an objection to renewable energy. It is an objection to placing industrial-scale development in one of Gozo's protected landscapes when more suitable alternatives already exist," Asciak said.
Momentum also raised concerns over the loss of visual amenity and rural character, which it said are valued by residents and tourists. It warned of possible soil erosion, disruption to natural water runoff, and a reduction in land available for agriculture.
The party said approving the application would set a dangerous precedent for similar developments on other hills across Malta and Gozo.
Momentum urged the public to submit objections to the Planning Authority by 10 July 2026 through the online representation form:
https://www.pa.org.mt/en/representationform?CaseFullRef=PA/03747/26&SystemKey=304313