Menorca, the green jewel of the Balearic Islands, lives a disturbing moment in relation to the territorial plan Rustic soil, as Eldiario.es recently published. The norms that have allowed Menorca to remain relatively protected and protected from the urban disorder and mass tourist could fader shortly not only the fruit of the political will of the PP Menorc , who show great tune in the time of thinking together the new PTI.
This initiative also has a singular support: the consulting firm April, directed by the agronomist Antoni Roca Martínez, was appointed by the insular conselier as a beneficiary of a minor hiring worth 14,500 euros in order to write a new evaluation of Environmental impact that allows the modification of the PTI. The document, to which this media has had access, was signed on May 15, 2024 and provides for April to develop a “analysis of the possible significant effects of the proposed plan [por el equipo de Gobierno] on the environment ”and that” justify your need and demonstrate your convenience, valuing possible reasonable, technical and environmentally viable alternatives. ”
After knowing the minor hiring, some of the consellers of the opposition of Més Per Menorca pointed out the insistent concatenation of orders for reports and studies by the Insular Consell of Menorca associated with the manifest intention of the PP to modify the territorial plan.
“Indeed, in the first quarter of 2024 a first study of tourist load capacity was entrusted, which was supposed to have a delivery period of three months. We asked about this study at three months and it was not done, we insisted at six months and was not It seems aimed at finding a study that responds to the particular claims of the government team, and in no case to the needs of the Menorcan and our territory. And everything, with public money, ”emphasizes the ecosoberanist leader.
Illegal pools disguised as aljibes
Beyond the merits that April has reaped to be considered a first option in granting public procure Luxury, which despite belonging to two different promoters, raised the controversy in Menorca due to the construction in them of illegal pools disguised as deposits for the collection of rainwater, as published this medium last November. These are the agrotourisms of Torre Vella and Sant Llorenç de Llucalari, two hotel projects for tourists of very high economic profile built on rustic soil.
In both the promoters (the firms domaines de Fontanille and Menorca Experimental) were advised by the consultant who directs Roca, as demonstrated by the documentation to which the Eldiario.es has had exclusive access, and both cases passed the environmental impact studies. At present, the PTI does not allow more than one pool by farm, something that could change after the advice of this consultant that, paradoxically, presents as an example of its good services the “improvement and use of rainwater.”
After the advice of April, both the Torre Vella estate and Sant Llorenç de Llucalari presented to the insular couller and the extinct Balear Hotels would have a skinny pool and that, in order to mitigate the consumption of aquifer water, would be incorporated “deposits for storm or refined water use.” Finally, these deposits were not such. The result? A total of 16 illegal private pools that only some very wealthy pockets can enjoy and contribute to seriously aggravate a structural problem in Menorca: the lack of water.
Consulted by this means about this controversial relationship, Miquel Camps, the Gob Territorial Coordinator said it would not be a chance, but a “way of operating.” “The case of the nine illegal pools discovered in the agrotourism of Sant Llorenç adds to the already known case of the seven pools of Torre Vella. The great similarity between both examples seems to show the same way of operating to dodge, with deception, environmental processing, ”says Camps. “The pools have an identical format and the same strategy has been used to incorporate an alleged saving of water to overcome the environmental process, which has later been clearly violated by the transformation of deposits into swimming pools. It is very likely that, with these conditions, the projects would not have been approved, ”he emphasizes.
To know its version of the facts, Eldiario.es has contacted the consultant April and with her CEO, Antoni Roca, who preferred not to make statements about the commission of the insular. “I do not think conversation on this subject. Just point out that my contract consists only and exclusively in the writing of the Environmental Impact Evaluation document ”that must accompany the specific modification of the PTI,” says. This media has also tried to contact the Consell of Menorca to address this matter, but has not obtained an answer.
The tests
Regarding File 1964/2015g, relating to the agricultural exploitation of the Sant Llorenç de Llucalari estate, in November 2015 the Ajanment of Alaior awarded to April the ‘Study of Environmental Impact Assessment for the implementation of an agrotourism in the agricultural exploitation of The Sant Llorenç de Llucalari ‘farm. On November 19, 2024, the Consortium for the Protection of Urban Legality in Rustic Soil of Menorca sanctioned the company Menorca Experimental, promoter of agrotourism, for the construction of nine pools that did not appear in the initial project processed before the environment.
The following case was that of Torrevella, in whose initial project, presented by the French promoter Les Domaines de Fontanille, responsible for the hotel, the swimming pools were presented as “aljibes”. As recorded in BOIB number 59 of May 19, 2018, a “Memory of provision of services and facilities for the implementation of an agrotourism was commissioned at the Torre Vella estate, drafted by the agronomist Antonio Roca Martínez” and the corresponding ‘Ordinary Environmental Impact Study’ in charge of the “April consultant”.
After the opening of the hotel, the suppressed Commission of Media Ambient de Baleares verified the existence of the pools and a whole series of irregularities (two illegal landfills, the opening of roads where they could not be opened and the asphalting of 2,000 m2 that were not paving, among others). After that, the promoter company presented a file before the City of Alaior with the advice of a private environmental auditor that indicated that they could legalize them ex post.
The importance of the Insular Territorial Plan
The PTI is the territorial regulations that have represented one of the main tools of the island of Menorca to conserve the territory and deal with urban depredation. “The modification of the PTI that now announces the new government team commanded by Adolfo Vilafranca is indicated by hiring a consultant that appears related to a very debatable modus operandi,” says the territorial coordinator of the Gob, Miquel Camps.
Indeed, the PTI de Menorca meant in its first approval of 2003 – and ratified in 2023 – a commitment to the conservation of the territory that implied the elimination of some 60,000 tourist seats and the prohibition of new residential uses on rustic soil of any category. “This decision earned Menorca the National Urban Planning Award in 2005 and its effects have allowed the valuable Menorquines landscapes. The island is now in the focus of many investors and the announced modification of the territorial plan makes new threats fear. Especially if who participates in the process has in his record background as those described, ”says the environmentalist, consulted about the role of the April company.
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