Simon Wade
GREEN and rural areas in the Vega Baja area of Costa Blanca South will be protected at least for another year, thanks to new-build projects being suspended.
On Monday December 13, the regional government of Valencia published in their DOGV online bulletin that building projects are suspended “on rural land designated within the scope of the Territorial Action Plan (PAT), for a maximum period of one year that can be extended for another.”
Two large areas in particular have been highlighted: 142 hectares of protected forested land destined for development to the west of San Miguel de Salinas, and an area known as El Garbanzuelo, near Torrevieja.
A 101 hectare area at El Campo-El Estaño de Guardamar del Segura would also be excluded, despite development agreements already in place with the local council.
An urbanization project further inland at Granja de Rocamora del Monecillo has also been shelved.
Sources within the PAT had previously warned that Orihuela Costa has already “greatly exceeded the growth limitations set in regional, national AND European urban legislation.”
Industrial new-builds aren’t escaping the proposed suspension, either.
Battery production facilities in Guardamar and a proposed extension of the Puente Alto industrial estate are threatened, also.
Other smaller plans cancelled are those in Callosa de Segura, Daya Vieja, Benijofar, Redovan, Bigastro and Formentera de Segura.
For all the above projects, the PAT considers that there is a high “margin of manoeuvre” because the planned proposals have not yet been classified or detailed.
What is the PAT?
The Territorial Action Plan is a long-term project launched three years ago that aims to preserve and enhance the environment, landscape and cultural assets of the Valencian region.
The main focus is around traditional agricultural areas, inland mountain ranges and the coast.
Development will only be encouraged for improvements to urban life, economic efficiency , energy consumption and water infrastructures throughout the area.
READ MORE:
– Two solar power farms may be scrapped in Spain’s Vega Baja as area now classed as flood plain
– Irrigation halted due to pollution in Vega Baja region of Spain’s Costa Blanca
