European Parliament gets Cala Mosca petition
Written by Louise Clarke
Thursday, 22 April 2010
CLARO President Bob Houliston presents Petition to the European Parliament in Brussels.
CLARO PRESIDENT Bob Houliston presented the petition to save Cala Mosca to the European Parliament last week. The petition was backed up by the over 7,000 signatures collected locally in Orihuela Costa which demonstrate the widespread opposition to the construction of 1,500 new houses and apartments on this last piece of green land on Orihuela Costa. Bob told RTN: “This petition underlines that this project is one of four approved by Orihuela Town Hall which would double the existing 30,000 registered population of Orihuela Costa.”
In the course of its over-rapid expansion, no provision has been made for proper parks and gardens in Orihuela Costa. Indeed, two of these four projects are situated in or adjoining the inland natural park of Sierra Escalona. Bob added: “If the Cala Mosca project goes ahead, residents and visitors would lose the last remaining sea view on the 18 kilometre Orihuela Costa coastline and the possibility to enjoy walking and relaxing on the last piece of open land which also provides access to several attractive natural bays.”
PROTECTED SPECIES
The petition submitted to the European Parliament stresses that the Cala Mosca project has already been modified to take account of the existence of two protected species. But the modifications took place after infrastructure works to provide streets and pavements had been carried out. It is therefore most likely that the two protected species have already been damaged. Bob continued: “With a view to examining the relevant European Union environmental legislation, the European Parliament has already requested additional information on the protected species involved. The Petition declares that it has not been possible to obtain a clear statement that the project has received all the necessary approvals and also points out that the Ministry of the Environment in Alicante has stated that the infrastructure works have not respected the reserved zone of protection of the shoreline.”
Bob concluded: “The Cala Mosca building project is environmentally destructive and would be a further blow to the fragile and over-exploited Spanish coast. The Petition requests the support and action of the European Parliament to oppose it and help preserve this emblematic area of Orihuela Costa.”
