MEPA decision on St John’s co-cathedral museum extension suspended

The St John’s Cathedral Foundation has applied to expand its museum onto the Great Siege Cemetery on Merchant’s Street, flanking the Cathedral.

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has suspended its decision on whether to grant a permit for the extension of St John’s co-cathedral museum onto the Great Siege cemetery.

The decision was suspended after the authority also received an email from UNESCO voicing concern over the project.

Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar said that the cemetery was dominated by the communal grave where the remains of the heroes of the Great Siege were buried. The extension however envisages the dismantling of the communal grave to be replaced by a far smaller ‘monument’ rebuilt on the side, in order to make space for ticketing booths, turnstiles and a giftshop.

The application was filed by the St John’s Foundation.

In order to exhibit all the Flemish tapestries together, the Foundation is proposing to build a long hall over the cemetery, which will thus be covered over.
MEPA’s Heritage Advisory Committee has voiced its concerns about the height of the exhibition halls, stating: “the Panel has misgivings about the negative effect that they might have on the Cathedral which is one of the major European Landmarks. Therefore the Panel requires that before making its recommendation, it is certified that the Cathedral and its outlying buildings do not provide any space that could be utilised for the said purpose.”
FAA said that, for some reason, this was brushed aside. Similarly MEPA forgot the regulation that the developer is obliged to produce photomontages of the proposed building, it added.