Bank of Valletta has refused to name the developer who will be turning its Attard branch into a controversial five-storey residential apartment block, citing commercial sensitivity as to why.

The Bank has submitted a planning application to demolish its one-storey Attard branch and replace it with a five-storey residential complex that will include a refurbished bank branch at ground level.

The plans will see 10 residential units be built on top of the new bank branch and a basement parking area.

Situated on the corner of Triq il-Mosta and Triq ir-Rand, the plans have stoked controversy particularly as the site lies partially within Attard’s Urban Conservation Area and the two streets it is situated on are characterised by old two storey houses of character.  The site is also bordering the gardens of the historic Casa De Piro.

The application was filed by Bank of Valletta itself through architect Glorianne Vassallo Cardona.

Asked what the motivation behind the decision to submit such an application was, a bank spokesperson told The Malta Independent that it was seeking to maximise the use of its assets.

“The Bank is always looking for ways of maximising the use of its assets. One way of doing so is through the sale of property, which in this case included one of the Bank’s branches. The branch will be retained by the Bank and refurbished to provide enhanced services to the community in a more modern environment,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that “the Bank has no intention of entering the property sector and is legally precluded from doing so by its banking licence; the Bank simply submitted the planning application as part of the property sale process.”

Asked who the developer that the bank has entered into an agreement with for the sale and subsequent development of the property is, and at what price the bank is selling the property though, BOV said that it could not comment.

“The process was carried out through a public expression of interest as per Bank policies. The Bank cannot comment on specific details since this is commercial and sensitive information,” the spokesperson told The Malta Independent.

The application has seen scores of objections filed against it, with many commenting on the impact that it will have on the Attard village core.

“It is disgusting in the most visceral sense of the word,” one objector wrote on the project.

Another objector noted that the existing BOV building is contiguous to what is the locality’s village core, and also would have a negative effect on the visual integrity of both the garden and Casa De Piro itself.

“The BOV often boasts of its sense of corporate social responsibility which should logically involve also involve a sense of environmental, historic and aesthetic responsibility. This application is the very negation of that responsibility. If this project proposal is allowed to proceed it will be an insult not only to the residents of the village but to all those who so much wish to preserve the architectural context of these Islands,” the objector wrote.

“This is part of the village core, a 5 story building would ruin the heart of the village. The two streets flanking the building are very narrow and old, featuring old bridges that connect the buildings on each side of the street. Any change to the structure will be detrimental to these structures,” another objector wrote.

“Attard, Lija and Balzan are known for their unique picturesque Maltese architecture, narrow streets, beautiful churches, chapels and town houses. We need to take care of our villages, not trash everything down and replace everything with monstrous concrete buildings,” the person continued.

Some 80 objections have been filed against the application in total thus far.  The public has until 2 February to submit its representations on the project.

The planning process itself is still at an early stage, with several authorities still to place their views on the project on record.  The Planning Authority is targeting to hear the application in mid-April of this year.