Corinthia’s Għajn Tuffieħa luxury enclave recommended for approval

The transformation of the former Ħal Ferħ complex in Għajn Tuffieħa into a luxury resort that includes a hotel and a villa enclave is set for approval.

The Planning Authority’s Development and Management Directorate has recommended approval of the Corinthia Group’s project for the complex previously owned by Air Malta.

The proposal, branded as the Corinthia Oasis, would replace the existing derelict holiday village with a 161-suite hospitality complex and 25 high-end villas.

The tourism component consists of a 122-room hotel, 22 water suites, and 17 garden suites, supported by leisure amenities including pools, a spa, a gym, and the reuse of a historic military chapel for sports and entertainment.

A permit issued in 2013 had already permitted a vacation resort consisting of 228 units instead of the Ħal Ferħ complex.

The residential enclave

The residential cluster of Corinthia’s proposal includes 16 villas and nine bungalows spread across 30,579sq.m. This is the most controversial planning element of the project. Residential development is normally not allowed in Outside Development Zone (ODZ) areas, and prior local plan policies excluded permanent dwellings in this location. However, changes introduced five years ago created a pathway for high-quality residential units within a mixed-use tourism project.

The case officer report notes that, while new dwellings are “in principle not considered a legitimate use” in an ODZ, they are permitted here as part of a carefully designed “hybrid scheme” aimed at positioning Malta as a luxury destination. To compensate for the introduction of residential land in an ODZ, the case officer is recommending that Corinthia pay €225,000 as a planning gain.

The residential enclave is authorised under the 2021 Ħal Ferħ Development Brief and, in part, by Policy NWGT1 of the North West Local Plan. They allow “separate, high-quality residential accommodation” as a secondary use alongside tourism development. Previously only “self-catering apartments under a timeshare model were allowed while permanent residential units (Class 1) were explicitly excluded.”

The homes are limited to 9,000sq.m of gross floorspace in total, with building heights capped at 4.75 metres for single-storey units or 8.5 metres for two-storey units. This ensures the structures remain low and visually integrated into the surrounding landscape.

The report emphasises that these 25 residences are designed to “provide unique additions to an already existing upscale residential market” and “will raise the level of the already strong real-estate market in Malta”.

Framed as premium dwellings, the units serve a dual purpose—they complement the larger luxury tourism project while also targeting high-end property investors in Malta’s residential market.

1: The Ħal Ferħ complex as it stands today

2: How the new complex will look when it is built without vegetation

3: The new complex with vegetation after one year of completion

4: How the Corinthia Oasis will look with more mature vegetation after 10 years

Legal framework and ownership

Unlike the hospitality suites, which are bound by a tri-partite public deed restricting them to tourism use, the 25 residential units are designated for permanent habitation and may be sold to independent owners. The report highlights the regulatory distinction: The hotel and suites cannot be issued individual compliance certificates—a prerequisite for separate utility connections and independent sale—whereas the 25 villas and bungalows qualify as “stand-alone planning units”.

This legal provision effectively allows each residence to function as an autonomous property. Their classification as Class 1 dwellings reinforces that status. However, this raises environmental issues such as how the PA can impose conditions with regards to noise and light pollution on the individual villas.

Visual, environmental, and traffic considerations

The Planning Authority acknowledges that the development will have a “major and significant” visual impact from short- to medium-range viewpoints due to the introduction of urban development into a rural landscape.  

Nevertheless, extensive planting and vegetation designed to mature over time will screen much of the built mass and mitigate long-term landscape effects. Planners emphasise the use of native species to reinforce the ecological and aesthetic integration of the project within the countryside. 

Photomontages submitted by the developer indicate that mature trees will be planted in the first year of operations. Corinthia also plans to set up an on-site nursery during the 32-month construction phase to grow trees and shrubs adapted to the local environment. 

Environmental assessments note that construction will require excavation of roughly 127,000 cubic metres of geological material, of which 91% is soil intended for reuse on site. Lighting and operational noise may create minor disturbances to wildlife, but an assessment concluded that the project would not adversely affect nearby protected habitats.

Detailed mitigation measures, including energy-efficient lighting with zero upward light spill and careful timing of construction activities, are prescribed to minimise ecological impact.

Traffic generation is expected to remain relatively low. Compared with earlier approved schemes, the revised design would reduce daily vehicle trips by approximately 95 and add only four to six vehicles during peak hours. This is because the number of hotel guestrooms was reduced by 57 compared to the 2010 permit. Transport planners have concluded that this represents a negligible impact on local road networks.

Conditions, landscaping, and guarantees

Strict permit conditions are to be imposed to protect both the environment and the surrounding community. These include mandatory noise mitigation measures, a detailed lighting strategy to limit impacts on vertebrate fauna, and a three-metre-wide planted buffer around the site perimeter using indigenous trees and shrubs.

This landscaping belt is designed to soften the visual profile of the buildings, improve biodiversity, and provide long-term ecological benefits.

Financial guarantees accompany these conditions. The developer must provide €250,000 to ensure compliance with permit conditions and approved plans, €187,900 to guarantee landscaping implementation and maintenance (released in stages over five years depending on plant survival), €2,000 tied to construction regulations, and up to €50,000 related to accessibility certification if requested before full project clearance.

Comparison with previous plans

The case officer notes that the current proposal represents a substantial improvement over the 2010 design, which featured a continuous 12-metre-high 'ribbon' building. The new scheme breaks the mass into separate volumes with a lower roofline, which is more compatible with the rural skyline.

In recommending approval, planners conclude the project aligns with national spatial strategy and could contribute to repositioning Malta as a higher-end tourism destination.

A spokesperson for the Corinthia group also told MaltaToday the company will be paying €10.3 million to the Lands Authority when converting to residential use.

A final decision on the project by the Planning Board is scheduled for 26 February.