The environmental watchdog on Friday upheld the protection status of the whole of Ħondoq ir-Rummien area.

In a statement, the board of the Environment and Resources Authority said it had greenlighted the protection of the area including the site known as il-Ħnejja.

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, landowners submitted a request to reconsider the protection for part of the site.

Following a thorough assessment, the board found no reasonable grounds to reconsider the protection title.

The decision was delivered during a public meeting on Friday morning.

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