Alex Trelinski
AUTHORITIES in Valencia have blocked plans for a 12,000 panel solar farm on land between Los Montesinos and Torrevieja because of its proximity to a natural park.
The veto comes from the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the project would have been developed on eight hectares close to the Los Montesinos roundabout on the CV-95.
Conservation group, the Friends of the South Alicante Wetlands, had warned that such a farm would be in the environmental impact buffer zone for La Mata and Torrevieja Natural Park lakes.
It would have become the first solar farm in the Torrevieja municipality but on undeveloped land that comes under the Natural Resources Management Plan (PORN) of the protected natural area.
The General Directorate of Environmental Quality said the solar plant project did not meet the environmental criteria for development.
Natural park officials warned the plant might ’cause alteration and degradation of the environment or hinder the development of permitted uses such as certain agricultural activities’.
The firm behind the project began processing applications in November 2020 with the site only deemed to have permission for agricultural use.
The Valencian government asked the unnamed company on several occasions to resubmit the application because the exact location of the plant was not specified.
The Ministry for the Ecological Transition is currently looking at proposals for a solar macro-plant to supply energy to Torrevieja’s desalination plant, but the location is an issue because of its proximity to the natural park and to urbanised or future urbanised areas.
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