The Provincial of the Augustinian order has issued a statement in an attempt to explain the reasoning regarding the controversial Bay Street deal.

The Augustinian order has come under fire over plans to let a plot of land to a company that plans to build a 12-storey building by saying that the money earned would allow the order to be of better service in the community. The Church has been branded by some as being hypocritical, particularly because its Environment Commission (Kummissjoni Ambjent) has been highly critical of other development projects in the Paceville area. Just last week the KA blasted the db Group's proposed mega development at the former ITS site. The KA even wrote to the head of Hard Rock International and urging him to force the developers  to rethink the project which, they says, runs counter to a number of planning policies. 

The provincial of the Augustinian order said, in a media statement, that the land in question includes a convent, chapel and a piece of land which was unused for many years. He said that in light of the development in the 80s and 90s, it was felt that the land around the convent should be regenerated, and not be left abandoned.

He said that a plan for the land in question to be developed was drawn up, but for a number of reasons the project stopped and for many years the land was left abandoned.

More recently, the stqatement said, more than one developer expressed interest to buy the land and even the convent and chapel. In that concept, they began to reconsider the possibility of a regeneration project while assuring that the convent and chapen be evaluated and continue to serve their pastoral aims.

In order to achieve this aim, the statement read, the possibility of an agreement with third parties was considered, and after discussions a rent agreement (not sale) was reached for a time period determined by Baysteet Holdings Ltd. After the agreement was finalised, the company began the process of applying for the necessary planning permits.

The considerations included the restoration of the outside of the chapel and convent, the centrality of the chapel and convent as  apastoral space in a zone frequented by many people, the construction of an underground car park facilitating the use for the convent and chapel, that more than half of the space above ground level remain open as a square in front of the convent.

The statement read that the income from this rent will, over the years, help the order continue to invest in their religious, social and edicational commitments in Maltese society.