A man yesterday filed a judicial protest against the Land Department after a plot of land he rented was unilaterally reduced in size.

Carmelo Bonnici claims his land concession shrank by an area of 60 metres squared. A borehole used for irrigation was located on the area that was taken away.

Mr Bonnici said he owned a field in Żejtun and, in May last year, he had reached an agreement with the Land Department to rent an adjacent plot, covering an area of 184 square metres, which included a reservoir, for €175 a year.

Four months later, the department issued a new map with the land shrunk to 124 square metres. Apart from the smaller area, Mr Bonnici said he could not use the borehole, which he needed for irrigation.

He held the department responsible for damages he was suffering. Lawyers David Camilleri and Joseph Gatt signed the protest.