The derelict Ħal Ferħ village in Għajn Tuffieħa is to be transformed over the next two and half years into one of Malta’s “most interesting projects, encompassing a unique eco-chic, highly desirable vacation destination”, according to the Island Hotels Group.

The Oasis at Golden Sands will transform the disused army barracks into a low-lying luxury development, with 65,000 square metres of the total 83,000 square metres being dedicated to landscaping and open spaces.

Costing Island Hotels Group and its partner, Silverpoint Group, some €65 million, the complex will include a 1.7 kilometre landscaped rooftop walking path with breathtaking views, horse-riding facilities, spas, outdoor and indoor pools, sports facilities, and food and beverage outlets.

The “less is more” approach guarantees exclusivity, privacy and luxury in the 218 suites and 12 Pavilion suites. The 250-square-metre Pavilion suites each have 800 square metres of garden area and a private 50-square-metre swimming pool. The other suites also have their own front and back gardens, creating a new level of luxury.

Work is set to start on the Oasis at the end of this year and will include a master plan for the whole area, which encompasses a re-design of the road network and a large public car park. The complex is planned to be as close to carbon-neutral as possible and is designed to ensure it fits in within the surroundings.

The modelling of the building itself was planned to cut the consumption of electricity by some 3,000 megawatts every year.

“A great effort has been put into making the development as eco-friendly as possible, both from a design perspective and eventually on an operational level,” Island Hotels Group CEO Winston J. Zahra said. In line with previous developments, the company chose to transform an old disused site into something new, thereby regenerating land rather than taking up new virgin land.