Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546198
THE Paradise Bay Resort in Ċirkewwa plans on more than doubling its rooms, an expan- sion that requires a full impact assessment, the environment watchdog said. The proposed expansion in one of Malta's most environmental- ly sensitive coastal areas, will see the hotel's operational capacity increase from 235 rooms to 506 rooms. The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) has determined that the scale of the project and proximity to protect- ed areas requires an Environmen- tal Impact Assessment (EIA) and an Appropriate Assessment (AA). The redevelopment proposal (PA/05888/25) was submitted by Stefan Fenech on behalf of Par- adise Bay Hotel Ltd. It involves the partial demolition and recon- struction of parts of the existing resort, the addition of two floors to the retained West Wing, and the construction of a major lateral extension. The additional built-up are- as will accommodate new guest rooms, restaurants, pools, confer- ence facilities, an auditorium and wellness amenities, significantly increasing the physical footprint of the resort within the coastal landscape. According to a Project Descrip- tion Statement prepared by ADI Associates for the developer, the current four-star hotel has 275 approved rooms, although only 235 are currently operational. The redevelopment would result in a total of 506 guest rooms. The project also proposes in- creasing parking provision from the existing 92 spaces to 264 spac- es through the creation of two un- derground parking levels. ERA said the project falls within the categories requiring an EIA because it concerns the construc- tion or extension of hotels or as- sociated developments outside development zones with a gross floor area exceeding 10,000sq.m. The authority highlighted that the resort is located within an environmentally sensitive area, directly adjoining several Natura 2000 protected sites. These include the Special Area of Conservation covering the coastal cliffs from Ċirkewwa to Bengħisa, as well as marine protected areas between Malta and Gozo. ERA said that because it cannot be established at this stage that the redevelopment would not ad- versely affect the integrity of these protected areas and their conser- vation objectives, an Appropriate Assessment is also required. The PDS identifies several po- tential environmental impacts linked to the project. These in- clude the loss of scientifically im- portant Quaternary raised beach deposits due to excavation works, impacts on the landscape charac- ter of the Marfa area, traffic pres- sures during construction and operation, and possible effects on marine ecology. The site lies within the Marfa Area of High Landscape Value, with the developer's own prelim- inary environmental assessment acknowledging that the proposed lateral extension and additional storeys could have significant im- plications for landscape character and visual amenity. The PDS also raises concerns over impacts on seabirds, particu- larly because of the site's proximi- ty to protected coastal habitats. The proposed excavation could also result in the permanent loss of raised beach deposits consid- ered important from a scientific and palaeontological perspective. During operation, the larger ho- tel would also generate increased waste, traffic and marine dis- charge requirements. The devel- oper notes that the existing hotel already discharges treated effluent from pools and chillers into the marine environment under an ERA permit, which would need updating if the expansion pro- ceeds. The application was submitted in June 2025 before new legisla- tion setting a 200-room cap on new hotel applications came in place just before the general elec- tion. Reporting by James Debono 6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 AUGUST 2026 NEWS Squishy Bun sold to children at village feasts faces EU safety checks A Squishy Bun Rainbow Mys- tery toy being sold to children at village feasts is among products being investigated at European level over potential chemical safety concerns. Rita bought the toy for her three-year-old niece at the Lija village feast but was shocked by the strong odour coming from the box after it was opened. She had paid for a toy which, she said, reeked of chemicals. To her niece's disappoint- ment, Rita quickly took the Squishy Bun toy away and later handed it over to MaltaToday. The toy appears to be a knockoff of the widely popular Squishy Dumpling toy, which has gone viral on social media. While the packaging bears a CE mark and states that the toy was "Made in China", it does not appear to carry an identifiable manufacturer address or batch identifier. "It's concerning that this is be- ing sold to children," Rita told MaltaToday. "The smell is ter- rible." And she's right. The smell is definitely terrible, and it seems the whiff has also reached the European Union. MaltaToday reached out to the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA), which confirmed that a variety of such products are being assessed as part of a joint effort at EU level. On 3 June, Ireland's Competi- tion and Consumer Protection Commission issued a safety warning over a similar product after it was found that compli- ance with the relevant safety standards had not been demon- strated. Irish retailers subsequently re- called the Squishy Bun product on 16 June, with consumers told not to purchase it and to keep it away from children. UK Trading Standards au- thorities have also taken action against similar knockoff squishy toys, particularly over strong chemical odours and inade- quate safety labelling. Testing carried out on some of these products found excessive levels of benzene in the outer layer. Benzene is a known hu- man carcinogen associated with blood cancers, including acute myeloid leukaemia. At high concentrations, short- term inhalation exposure to benzene can also affect the nerv- ous system, causing symptoms including dizziness, headaches, confusion, as well as irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract. However, an MCCAA repre- sentative stressed that a strong odour alone is not sufficient to conclude that a product pre- sents a chemical risk. Such a determination would require appropriate testing to establish whether the product meets the applicable safety re- quirements, the authority said. The MCCAA confirmed that member states are currently us- ing their resources to assess the products concerned. The representative added that, when carrying out such investi- gations, the authority takes in- to account the different points of sale through which products are made available to consum- ers, including village feasts. EVA BRANNON ebrannon@mediatoday.com.mt Paradise Bay Resort expansion triggers need for EIA The toy appears to be a knockoff of the widely popular Squishy Dumpling toy, which has gone viral on social media Visual of expanded hotel as seen from Paradise Bay