Ħal Ferħ villas will be hidden by trees in 10 years

Buildings at the Ħal Ferħ site will be rendered almost ‘invisible’ due to their low heights and tree planting, a study for the Corinthia Group says.

The company is proposing a villa and hotel development, called Oasis, on the site in Għajn Tuffieħa, which was previously a tourist resort operated by Air Malta.

Low building heights and intensive tree and shrub planting will screen the development, an environmental impact asessment says.

But the report indicates that maintaining the landscaped area could pose a challenge due to pest control measures in an area which is presently rich in fauna, in addition to issues such as increased traffic and light pollution.

The project also involves extracting over 127,000 cubic metres of rock.

The Oasis development, partly located on the existing Ħal Ferħ site, comprises two main components: A tourism zone covering 46,708sq.m, featuring a luxury resort hotel with 122 standard rooms and 39 detached suites; and a residential zone of 30,679sq.m, accommodating 25 high-end villas.

The EIA, coordinated by veteran architect and planner Paul Gauci, concludes that the visual impact on views, particularly from Manikata, would be significant but that landscaping would substantially reduce this impact. Photomontages indicate that while the buildings would be partly visible in the first year of operation, they would be largely covered after 10 years.

The Corinthia Group plans to establish an on-site nursery during the 32-month construction period, growing trees and shrubs in conditions similar to the surrounding environment to aid in landscaping efforts once operations begin.

The EIA concludes that the visual impact will be of “high severity” with minimal landscaping but of “no or low severity” if landscaping plans are fully implemented, especially after 10 years of growth.

Major ecological impact

Ecological studies caution that construction activities will lead to vegetation loss, particularly in areas cleared for new structures and facilities, and that nighttime lighting could disrupt the natural behaviour of wildlife, especially nocturnal species.

Artificial lighting may disturb sensitive animals such as birds, bats, reptiles, and hedgehogs present in the area.

Furthermore, increased visitor traffic is expected once the complex becomes operational, especially in summer. This could lead to noise, reduced air quality, and potential oil and fuel spills, impacting local biological communities. Additionally, the presence of delivery vehicles, taxis, and coaches transporting tourists to and from the complex would exacerbate these effects.

Maintaining landscaped areas would also require the use of various pest control methods, herbicides, and fertilisers. This could result in hazardous chemicals leaching into nearby habitats through runoff.

The area also supports a large population of the North African hedgehog, raising concerns about the likelihood of this species encountering rodent traps in the area.

Mitigating light pollution

To address light pollution, the Corinthia Group has hired a consultant to prepare a lighting plan for gardens, footpaths, and vehicle links that minimise light pollution. While the EIA commends this effort, it notes that effectiveness may be limited by other major light sources in the area, particularly the nearby Radisson Blu Resort & Spa.

To reduce the ecological impact of landscaping, Corinthia has also commissioned an agricultural consultant to develop a plan minimising the use of fertilizers and pesticides.

Villas to finance rest of project

The villas will be marketed to high-net-worth individuals and local buyers, with Deloitte  estimating that Malta-based purchasers will make up 35% of buyers. The villas are expected to be stable real estate investments. Given that the villas may be available on the property market before hotel operations commence, revenue from villa sales may be used to help fund the hotel complex, reducing project risks.

The Hal Ferh saga

The Ħal Ferħ complex, originally developed in the 1970s, consisted of holiday homes built in repurposed British-era barracks. However, the government-owned Air Malta later sold the land as part of its restructuring efforts. In February 2023, the Planning Authority approved the demolition of these barracks to make way for a cluster of timeshare apartments.

In 2020, the government had requested that the Planning Authority amend the local plan to allow the Corinthia Group, which acquired the land from hotelier Winston Zahra, to develop permanent residences in the area.