The urbanization of 56.2 hectares along Quitapellejos beach in Cuevas del Almanzora and the provision of infrastructure to build 1,600 homes and a hotel, has been initiated by the compensation board, which is composed of more than 60 owners and presided over by Bahia del Almanzora SL, a mercantile company.
In 2008, the Cuevan City Council approved the partial plan for the PA-4 section of Palomares. The urbanization project is a preliminary step towards its residential development and must be submitted to the unified environmental authorization. The period for public information to make allegations runs until July 26.
Europa Press has consulted documentation that shows that the urbanization of the sector includes construction of a promenade along a stretch of coast running from the Rambla del Jatico mouth to the Almanzora mouth. It took 18 months to complete and cost more than 11.7 millions euros.
There are 936 multi-family homes that have a maximum height of four floors on a 12.23 hectare plot, and 664 single-family houses on 8.7 hectares. A hotel is planned on a plot measuring 0.8 hectares. There is also a gas station.
This sector’s dotacional ground is divided into 202661 square meters of open space. These spaces will be used for green areas as well as playgrounds. A 1,700 square meter playground is also planned.
It also reserves 20,00 square meters for education, 12,800 square meters for sports, and 5,700 square meters commercial. There are also 9,500 square metres of social provision. The Partial Plan also allows for nearly 1,000 parking spaces.
The regional administration compensation board presented an environmental impact study. It rated it as “low magnitude” due to the “anthropic destruction” of the area. They also maintained that the project did not affect any special protected areas for birds ( ZEPA), SCI places of interest or areas designated as special conservation zones.
It stresses, however, that there is no “only negative effect” on the posidonia meadows or, by extension, the ZEC ‘Marine Bottoms of Levante Almeria’.
This document outlines a report by the Delegation for Development, Infrastructure, Territory Planning, Culture and Historical Heritage Almeria. It conditions the execution to the carrying out a “preventive archaeological activity” during its course. Its development was influenced by the fact that Villaricos, an archaeological site that spans from the Iron Age through Roman times, is located one kilometer to its north.
The environmental impact study also found that a portion of the proposed urbanization area is within the protection zone of the Land Management Plan of the Levante Region in Almeria. This means that it is not susceptible to flooding.
It also highlights the fact that there is an area of pine trees and eucalyptus in the sector that has “little ecological value”, but that has an “important landscape” and “visual character.” The Subsidiary Regulations for Cuevas del Almanzora regulate the maintenance of the Forest mass of approximately 40,000 meters. This requires careful felling to preserve this area and maintain the appearance of a forest.
A luxury development was planned for these 56.2 hectares more than 20 years ago. It was called Puerto Marques and would be later renamed Minivenice. The project claimed that every neighbor could access their door via artificial sea channels. After receiving negative sectoral reports from Coasts and the Environment relating to coastal erosion, the project was rejected. Years later, the Supreme Court (TS), dismissed the case stating that the administrator should have compensated the developer.