Malta's Planning Authority Poised to Approve 5MW Solar Farm on Disused Magħtab Landfill
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The Planning Authority is set to approve a 5-megawatt photovoltaic solar farm on the disused Magħtab landfill in Naxxar, seven years after the application was first submitted.
Proposed by Enemalta, the project will cover 54,000 square meters with over 20,000 PV panels on the capped, barren section of the former landfill.
While the Environment and Resources Authority raised no objections, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage expressed concerns about the visual impact of the extensive glass facade.
The 5MW solar farm is expected to generate approximately 8,000 MWh of electricity annually, enough to power up to 2,000 households.
The Planning Authority is poised to greenlight a substantial 5-megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) solar farm on the disused Magħtab landfill in Naxxar, seven years after its initial submission. This development, proposed by Enemalta, will span approximately 54,000 square meters, equivalent to over seven football pitches, and incorporate more than 20,000 ground-mounted PV panels.
A case officer has recommended the project for approval, with the final decision anticipated from the PA board on July 31. The solar farm will be situated on the capped section of the former landfill, known as Ta’ Żwejra, an artificial hill that despite extensive landscaping efforts with indigenous trees and shrubs, remains barren due to the presence of toxic substances within the site. This context underscores the strategic advantage of utilizing such compromised land for energy production.
The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) has raised no objections following a screening process, concluding that the project is unlikely to yield significant environmental impacts. However, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) expressed concerns in 2021 regarding the visual impact, particularly the potential for an “unbroken façade of glass” along the hillock’s steep sides, which could alter the landscape’s character and hinder future integration with the rural environment. This concern persists despite the Magħtab area's designation for the future Ecohive complex, which will include a waste-to-energy plant.
Despite the SCH’s reservations, the Development Management Directorate noted that the existing visual baseline is already dominated by the landfill itself. They concluded that the solar farm’s visual impact would likely not be significant, especially given that panels will be installed at specific angles and utilize materials engineered to minimize reflection and glare. Furthermore, disused landfills, alongside quarries, are explicitly listed as preferred locations for new solar farms under Malta's policy framework regulating such developments.
If approved, the 5MW solar farm is projected to generate approximately 8,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually. This output is sufficient to power between 1,600 and 2,000 households, marking a notable contribution to Malta's renewable energy capacity and its efforts to diversify its energy mix.