In 2005 and 2007 MEPs in Brussels severely criticised the alleged abuses of construction particularly in the Valencian community. They even suggested suspending aid if the abuses were not stopped.
The MEP’s were quoted as criticising “the massive destruction of Spanish Mediterranean coastal areas through cement and concrete, and profits”.
Of course the criticism was refuted by Spain MEP’s representing the PP and PSOE.
A committee of MEPs considered that in Spain “an endemic form of corruption has been generated” because of the lack of clarity and inadequate application of the rules.
The MEPs of PP and PSOE were isolated and marginalised. Their arguments had not convinced anyone because tens of thousands had seen and witnessed the urban planning abuse and the ecological impacts, and they did not trust the judicial system to prevent it.
The Spanish authorities were called upon to “review and control all new planning that does not take into account the criteria of environment, sustainability and social responsibility, none of which is currently being adhered to today in Orihuela Costa.
Cala Mosca comes to mind, also Finca Langostino, fighting for over 20 years against successive developers who wanted to land grab over half of the Finca land.
Several impact studies were carried out by Iberdrola, Hidraqua and the N332 authorities, with Hidraqua quoted as saying that if the speed of construction continues, then in roughly 15 years time there would be the capacity to supply only 50% of the residents.
Iberdrola stated that there wouldn’t be enough capacity at this rate of construction, the N332 mentioned in an impact study that the infrastructure would not cope with that amount of influx onto the coast, which would effect the environment, also air pollution would suffer, and there would also be more frequent traffic chaos.
Just recently there was a fire in Las Ramblas, with nearly 12 hectors destroyed, and by coincidence, a developer has been after that prime location. What is today’s rustic land, valued relatively cheaply, is tomorrow’s commercial land – which has just increased in value by up to 20 times its original worth. Somebody has allegedly made a lot of money.
It’s not just the property sector of which Orihuela has lost control. Orihuela Costa was considered one of the crown jewels of Spain, with its macro climate, the beaches, the number of days per year of sunshine.
But now it is considered to be one of the dirtiest of all the Costas, because of the state of the roads, the growing mounds of rubbish, beaches contaminated with sewage, neglected parks and green areas etc., etc, Its image and reputation has been severely tarnished.
We also have the education system in a deplorable state. All the time that our elected councillors sit on their hands, the two schools in Orihuela Costa continue to suffer from high ratios of students per classroom, due to the continued increase in recent years in the number of newly arrived students, particularly those who arrive outside the enrolment period.
Most of them move into the area from overseas, so they may not know the language, an increase that falls in line with the continuous growth of inhabitants on the Orihuela coast. It makes, the situation in schools like Los Dolses unsustainable, where the teachers have sacrificed their common areas and are even holding classes in the corridors due to lack of space.
So the message to all the MEPs is to finish what you started In 2009 and to get it over the finishing line – that is to suspend any funding to Orihuela until it gets it house in order.
This council should not be rewarded for their incompetence, woeful mismanagement of its finances, its discrimination in putting the city first and orchestrating the sheer neglect of Orihuela Costa.
Remember MEPs – YOU ARE NEVER WRONG WHEN YOU DOING THE RIGHT THING.
