Flimkien Ghal-Ambjent Ahjar has uploaded on its website - http://www.faa.org.mt - experts' reports related to the proposed underground extension of the museum of St John's Co-Cathedral.
The NGO insisted that the experts did decide on the St. John’s project. Years ago, the MEPA heritage experts stated that: “The concept of excavations in the vicinity of the cathedral would not be favourably considered due to the risk these might pose to the structure of one of Malta's foremost monuments and the art treasures within.”
Geologist Peter Gatt, who was consulted by the FAA, reported on Valletta’s soft rock (globigerina limestone) : "Tension cracks in rocks (joints) would be expected to be common at the top of Sceberras Hill where St John's is located. If excavation exposes a sizeable joint oriented in a particular direction, an entire wedge of rock may fail, causing catastrophic damage to the Cathedral [similar to the] excavation of the Sliema car park, and St Paul’s Bay, when two women died buried under rubble.”
“Globigerina Limestone is a soft rock which may deform in a brittle as well as ductile manner. Even if we are spared mass failure, creating a void will alter stresses in the rock and cause slow deformation which will increase damage to the Cathedral structure in the form of tension cracks (kunsenturi) in the Cathedral. This may ruin Mattia Preti's vault paintings.”
He also wrote that: “The excavation will alter the local hydrology ie. pathways taken by rain water in rock and may result in a localised temporary build up of water along the walls of the completed (damp sealed) underground structure. This increase in humidity will be disastrous for the Cathedral, causing increased salt crystallisation."
The FAA said excavations carried out beneath the Monte di Pietà building resulted in serious and widespread tension cracks (kunsenturi) along the walls. This was also the reason why excavations of the car park next to the Mosta Rotunda were immediately ruled out and not allowed to go to EIA stage.
The website also features reports by Joe Magro Conti, head of MEPA Integrated Heritage Management, Dr Albert Ganado and architect Michael Ellul, chairman and deputy chairman respectively, of MEPA's Heritage Advisory Committee.