An aerial view (in yellow) of the proposed development.

Balluta residents fear that a proposal to turn the Carmelite priory garden into a supermarket will worsen traffic congestion problems on that part of the St Julian’s seafront.

They are demanding assurances that excavation works for an underground three-storey car park, forming part of the project, will not adversely affect the foundations of the Grade 2 scheduled convent and nearby buildings.

The proposed parking facility will take up to 85 vehicles and the overlying ground-floor supermarket will be spread over 451 square metres. On the first floor, the applicant is proposing 818 square metres of office space. A rooftop garden, accessible to the adjacent Carmelite community, is also planned.

Sources said the arrangement was being proposed as partial compensation for the loss of the open space to the Carmelite community.

In fact, a large statue of Our Lady now located in the priory garden will be relocated to the roof.

The developer is promising that the project will not be spread over other parts of the property belonging to the Carmelite community, which stretches to Triq Scicluna.

The project will also include the uprooting of 11 oleander trees and an araucaria. Nine olive and three palm trees will be relocated.

The application, submitted last August by John Cilia, shows that the proposed development is close to the Balluta parish church, a Grade 1 scheduled building, which is the highest degree of protection given by the national planning authority.

During the public consultation period, which expired last month, neighbours raised concerns of possible adverse effects on the traffic situation in the area. They questioned whether the road infrastructure would be able to cope with the influx of supermarket customers and delivery vans.

Concerns were also raised on the visual impact of the project along the seafront and any possible risks to the foundations of the nearby buildings.

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage declined to pronounce itself at this stage, asking the applicant to furnish more information on certain aspects. In particular, it noted that no photomontages of the development had been submitted.

It also requested that the developer present a detailed excavation method statement indicating any buffer strip to safeguard the adjacent scheduled building.