Yet another solar farm is being proposed in Malta – this time on 10,400 sqm of ODZ land with greenhouses to be used for snail farming.

The site is situated between Triq Tal-Balal and Triq Margaret A Murray in Naxxar.

The plan outlines the installation of greenhouses for snail farming with overlying Photovoltaic Panels including levelling of the land. The existing rubble walls and trees within the same site are set to be reinstated and relocated.

The purpose of the land is originally not for development, however, it allows agricultural development.

Following a meeting with the Planning Authority Agricultural Committee, it was pointed out that a detailed project description is required, and while parts of the land are registered as agricultural, the majority of it is registered on third parties.

It also pointed out that the proposed PV panels are not considered as small scale and hence not allowed under the 2014 Rural Policy and Design Guidance.

The Solar Policy Farms Policy does not allow such developments of solar farms to happen and instead encourages the repurposing of quarries for their use.

However, Malta’s National Agricultural Policy encourages such developments, in the best interest of agriculture. It also strongly favours anything related to snail farming, hydroponics, and insect farms.

The application was filed by the company Cammast, which is owned by Master Wine Holdings. The same director of the company also recently had a snail farm approved not too far off from the area in question.