A contentious new development for The Battery area of St. John’s received unanimous support from St. John’s councillors yesterday.

Plans call for a 28-lot residential subdivision bordering Battery Road and Cabot Avenue, in the shadows of the former Battery Hotel, now MUN’s Signal Hill campus.

Council’s Committee of the Whole approved the terms of reference for a heritage report on the area known historically as Limeville and later the Alderdice property.

But opposition was fierce even before an application reached council, with an online petition to preserve the property now up to almost 4,500 names.

Deputy Mayor Ron Ellsworth dismissed calls for a public meeting, saying it won’t change the outcome.

“As long as the proponent follows the development rules and regulations, and the application meets the standards, there is nothing for the city to interfere with in this project,” he said. “As much as we like or don’t like that, that’s the reality of the zone this property is in.”

Ellsworth noted the property owners could’ve sought heritage designation but chose not to.

The application now moves to a regular meeting of council for further approvals.