Solar farm near Ta’ Hammud dolmens ‘unacceptable’ says watchdog

A farm for over 4,500 solar panels inside the buffer zone of the Ta’ Hammud dolmens in Magħtab will have an “unacceptable” impact on the cultural landscape, the heritage watchdog has warned.

The Superintendence for Cultural heritage expressed its “grave concern” on a 12,000sq.m solar farm with 4,505 panels and a substation, calling out the unacceptable impact on the cultural landscape of a sensitive location.

The dolmens are located on the other side of Triq ir-Ramla, less than 100m from the proposed development.

The Environment and Resources Authority is also objecting to the solar farm, which will take-up agricultural land in the area and modify its natural state, leading to the loss of rural character of the area.

A proposed policy regulating the development of solar farms limits such developments to quarry sites. But over the past year a number of applications have been presented for the erection of solar farms on extensive countryside sites. These include a 22,000sq.m site in Manikata, where 6000 panels are being proposed on greenhouses; and a 10,500sq.m site in Mosta where 2,076 solar panels are being proposed in five large greenhouses.