Wendy WilliamsBy Wendy Williams
ENVIRONMENTALISTS are outraged over plans to build a massive hotel and housing complex on one of Europe’s last virgin beaches.
The scheme, which has now been given the green light by Tarifa Town Hall, will affect a staggering 700,000 square metres of dunes – the equivalent of 700 football pitches – on the unspoilt Playa de Valdevaqueros.
The 84,000 square metre urban development, which is being promoted by GMT and architect Juan Munoz, aims to create 1,423 hotel places and 350 homes on the unspoilt coastline.
But green party EQUO argues the scheme – which lies between El Estrecho and Los Alcornocales Natural Parks on a UNESCO protected Biosphere Reserve – goes against EU legislation.
“There is still much that can be done to avoid bricking over the unspoilt Valdevaqueros beach,” said EQUO spokesman Juan Jose Lopez Uralde, who insisted the town hall’s decision was ‘bad news’ but that ‘it was not over’.
“The brick economy has led us into the pit where we are now; the same recipes are not going to help us get out of it.
“The town remains committed to economic and development models which have failed in practice and only contribute to enriching the few while destroying the heritage of all.”
Meanwhile over 8,000 people have now joined a Facebook group (www.facebook.com/SalvemosValdevaquerostarifa) protesting against the decision.
But the PP Mayor of Tarifa, Juan Andres Gil, continues to defend the project and has accused the protestors of damaging the local economy.
MADNESS! Must be the sun.
This is ridiculous. As we say in the US, Spain is “cutting of its nose, despite its face!” The only thing that makes this area completely lovely is the fact that it is completely natural. To deface this one-of-a-kind area with development is an absolute tragedy of worldly pre proportions. :(
Just no never in a million years can this be allowed to happen . Tarifa is one of Spains most beautiful areas (I fly the wind there) and cannot accept that this destruction can be legal . PLEASE STOP THE MADNESS
and there is no sewage plant please yek!
So join the Facebook group !
If you want to help stop this ridiculous project, join the Facebook campaign. “http://www.change.org/es/peticiones/salvemos-valdevaqueros”
It’s crazy that a tin-pot mayor and his cronies can be allowed to destroy a beautiful chunk of Europe. It should be a Government decision at least, if not one for the EU.
As already stated, these developments benefit the few rich people, which would include local politicians. Once built, the whole area could then be totally developed, by default, turning it into yet another grotty area of high rise and pollution.
@JTW
I think you mean “cutting off it’s nose to spite it’s face”. Anyway this is just another example of “short-termism”, ego and self-interest at the expense of everyone else and is why virulent decentralisation has been shown to have failed.
Please spread this article and more (GB/D/F..) around EU in facebook
https://www.facebook.com/SalvemosValdevaquerostarifa
and tweet #salvemosvaldevaqueros
and vote against that madness
http://www.change.org/es/peticiones/salvemos-valdevaqueros”
already 38.354 signed !!
14.201 members of the platform created…3 days ago !!
SALVEMOS TARIFA !!
The plans are not for the beach. They are for the other side of the road. No plans have been submitted for the beachside.
http://realestatemarbella.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/playa-de-valdevaqueros-not-in-danger/
The other side of the road?
Oh, thats alright then! So we wont see any of it from any point on the beach? Nor from any point of the national park? And we wont hear the cars & trucks? And we wont have to go around places no longer public but soon to be private?
And all the extra tourist shops, and restaurants, and chiringuitos wont be stinking up the beach?
And the crooks showing off their BWMs wont be getting all aggressive because windsurfers are walking by?
And beach wont be full of garbage and sewerage like the rest of the coast in high season?
If this goes though, it’ll be used as the perfect example illustrating how we ruined the planet for our children.