St John's Co-Cathedral Museum extension

'Roamer' has made the mistake of imagining that Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar is against the extension of the St John's Cathedral Museum (The Sunday Times, August 10). We were the first to call on the government and Church authorities to help the foundation secure premises near the Cathedral to allow it.

It is the way this extension is being planned that we are objecting to. No matter what precautions are taken, excavating a hole the size and depth of a quarry on St John's Street and Square between Republic and Merchants' Streets can never be without risk. Not to mention the upheaval due to noise, dust and vibrations, and the constant flow of heavy vehicles through the centre of Valletta's resident, tourist and commercial community for the years that it would take to complete such a project.

Storing items as precious and delicate as the Gobelins tapestries underground also brings with it other risks, such as humidity and flooding, especially in the old water reservoirs which cannot be fully water-proofed and where dehumidification will serve to draw more moisture through the old stone, into the vaulted space. The underground complex would be totally dependent on dehumidification, air-conditioning and air-exchange, which makes it a very unsustainable project at a time when both Church and State, co-trustees of St John's Cathedral, have espoused sustainability goals.

'Roamer' also forgot to mention the foundation's proposals to cover the graveyard alongside Merchants' Street with a glass canopy and install ticketing booths and a sales point there. This canopy will change the building's micro-climate, trapping heat and humidity which will affect the stonework, while the undulating glass canopy complete with spotlights is more suited to a futuristic disco. The crux of the matter remains, however, the violation of a space that is sacred to our heritage and religious history.

The solution to the museum's lack of space must be found elsewhere. During the recent presentation of the projects, several parts of the St John's complex were identified that could be put to better use. The project's huge budget could be used to purchase and restore a palazzo which is available near St John's Cathedral. The Foundation's over-riding objection to 'dispersing its collection' has not been substantiated.