There was a welcome piece of environmental news this week, as Ħondoq ir-Rummien was designated by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) as a Special Area of Conservation.

This follows a saga spanning years, in which there was a danger that the site would be developed. Fierce opposition to its development was mounted by Qala Mayor Paul Buttigieg, who fought so very hard to reach the point we have reached today. He must be given credit for his work in this regard.

Last August, the Appeals Court has quashed an attempt by the developer behind a mega-project at Ħondoq ir-Rummien in Gozo to get the Planning Authority’s refusal for his plans to be overturned. That day, Buttigieg had said on social media, that "It is now time for the next step: for the government to give public access and enjoyment of Ħondoq on a permanent basis.”

Earlier this week, Ħondoq was granted legal protection. A statement by the authorities read that this protection means that activities in this area are subject to more rigorous screening or environmental studies than other sites located in outside development zones (ODZ). Where activities are found to have a negative impact on the biodiversity of the area, all consequences would need to be first eliminated. One hopes that this will be enough to prevent any detrimental development on the site in the future.

The announcement also read that il-Qortin ta’ Isopu, il-Ġebla tal-Ħnejja u l-Ġebla tal-Fessej will also enjoy the same environmental protection due to their natural and geological attributes, and that in Malta, Xrobb l-Għaġin will also be declared as a Special Area of Conservation. "In total we are adding another 850,000 square meters to the country’s list of protected land - the size of 120 football grounds, a little bigger than the size of Valletta. This means that, in total, around 30% of the land in our country is protected under various environmental regulations," said Environment Minister Miriam Dalli.

In a country where most environmental news is often not good, due to some development or other, this was a welcome breath of fresh air.

This newsroom has spoken numerous times in the past of the importance of protecting the green space we have left. Parts of the island are already too densely built up, with few green spaces in between towns and villages. The need to protect open spaces must be a national priority.

Aside from continuing to create green spaces within the community, the authorities should continue focusing on strengthening the protection of the country’s outside the development zone areas, in order to ensure a stop to encroachment on the green areas the country has.