The Board of the Environment and Resources Authority upheld the protection status of the whole of Ħondoq ir-Rummien, including il-Ħnejja. This decision was delivered unanimously this morning.
Earlier this year, Ħondoq ir-Rummien was designated a Special Area of Conservation. Article 69 (6) of the Environment Protection Act (Cap. 549) allows any landowner who feels aggrieved by the protection of a site to request a reconsideration of the protection title awarded to their land within 30 days from notification or publication in the Government Gazette. As a result, a request to reconsider the protection for part of the site was submitted by landowners.
Following a thorough assessment, the Board found no reasonable grounds to reconsider the protection title.
The decision was delivered during a public meeting of the board. This was possible due to changes enacted last year in the Environment Protection Act, following amendments which brought further transparency to ERA Board meetings.
