San Lawrenz quarry given permit for expansion

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority granted a development permit for the extension of an existing soft stone quarry at ta' Slima in San Lawrenz.

The extension area is 8,547 square metres with an expected depth of 14 metres. The life span of the quarry will be about six years.

The total area of the quarry already excavated is 13,488 square metres and this area is being proposed for restoration with the waste material extracted from the extension area.

According to the updated environmental planning statement, at the time of survey the area was characterised by dry land farming dominated by cereals and legumes.

Fields were generally poorly kept and rubble walls were absent or collapsing, leading to extensive soil erosion. More than a fifth of the arable land was abandoned.

The greatest concern about quarrying in this area was the designation of the Dwejra area as a World Heritage Site.

This concern was also expressed by the San Lawrenz local council but the extension area lay outside the Dwejra Heritage Park and therefore the extension of the quarry could be further exploited.

The development was granted against a number of conditions including the submission of a waste management application for the restoration of the quarry back to agriculture.