Three weeks ago the Leader Newspaper wrote to the Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Urbanism and Planning, José Aix, asking who had given permission for the siting of the fairground on public land adjacent to the Orihuela Costa Centro Salud. We still await his reply.
In the meantime, it is reported in the Spanish press, that the fairground is operating without an opening license, and that it would be unlikely to pass any health and Safety Inspection, as can be seen by the number of cables that are strewn across the ground and the failure to anchor down the sites inflatables.
The fairground has been open since the beginning of July, on the land that was previously used as a car park for the medical centre and has now been earmarked as the site of the planned extension.
According to Diario Informacion, sources who have access to the file confirm that the technical report is pending, like so many others on the Orihuela Costa, so the fairground has been open to the public for a month without permission by the City Council, and with the Local Police, who should have closed it down, turning a ‘blind eye’.
Sources from the Council’s Security Department state that the license is granted by the Activities area of the Town Planning Department, headed by José Aix.
On 29 July it is understood that a letter was received by the City Council registry stating that many other businesses in the area wonder why the fairground is receiving preferential treatment, as it is a health and safety hazard, it does not have “any type of security, inflatables are not anchored to the ground.” Attached to the letter were a number of photographs backing up the author’s claims.
In addition, the letter added, “the Police and the Orihuela Council are aware of numerous complaints”, and even three years ago many signatures were collected from among the local residents objecting it it’s operation. The letter goes on to request that the Council reviews the installation and opening permits, the occupancy rates, the civil liability insurance and the responsible declaration (a procedure required by the regulations).
The same letter also states that these vendors, who are sited next to the health centre, do not pay for water or electricity. “Until a few days ago they were connected to public lighting, although now they have installed a diesel generator,” they say.
The Cabo Roig and Lomas Neighborhood Association has said that the “attractions are obsolete, old-fashioned and deteriorated.” In addition, they add that the fences are of rusty iron, there are loose cables in the path of pedestrians and deficiencies in the access areas.
Based on these shortcomings, the neighborhood organization is going to request access to the file from José Aix to check whether the appropriate technical requirements are being met, as well as whether the site is in an acceptable condition, taking into account that its users are mainly young children.
About 200 meters away, there is another fair, in this case, it is sited on a private plot, and they too criticise the differences in demands and treatment: “They put a rope around our necks, while they turn a blind eye to the other fairground.” At the same time they too ask who would be responsible if there was to be a serious accident particularly as it has been allowed to open by the Deputy mayor without documentation.
