Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1543310
careful timing of construction ac- tivities, 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 approxi- mately 95 and add only four to six vehicles during peak hours. This is because the number of hotel gues- trooms was reduced by 57 com- pared to the 2010 permit. Trans- port planners have concluded that this represents a negligible impact on local road networks. Conditions and guarantees Strict permit conditions are to be imposed to protect both the environment and the surrounding community. These include man- datory 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 accompa- ny these conditions. The devel- oper must provide €250,000 to ensure compliance with permit conditions and approved plans, €187,900 to guarantee landscap- ing implementation and mainte- nance (released in stages over five years depending on plant surviv- al), €2,000 tied to construction regulations, and up to €50,000 re- lated 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 'rib- bon' building. The new scheme breaks the mass into separate vol- umes with a lower roofline, which is more compatible with the rural skyline. In recommending approval, planners conclude the project aligns with national spatial strat- egy and could contribute to repo- sitioning Malta as a higher-end tourism destination. 3 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 18 FEBRUARY 2026 NEWS hotel complex and 25 residential villas without vegetation. The new complex with vegetation after one year. And how the Corinthia Oasis will look with more mature Aerial view of the existing abandoned complex (top) and how it will look when the Corinthia Oasis is built (bottom)