Claire Wilson
THE mayor of a town hall fighting to prevent an ‘elite macroproject’ from ruining the Alcornocales natural park has received a glimmer of hope.
Castellar de la Frontera leader Juan Casanova remains positive about the future of the La Almoraima estate after a positive meeting with a government minister.
Casanova – whose town has been fighting the planned sale of the 16,000 hectare estate to develop a golf and polo scheme – met with Miguel Arias Canete, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment in Madrid.
Although the government confirmed that it still intended to go ahead with the sale, the minister confirmed that a private investor could well establish a long term sustainable project.
“This is a ray of light,” Casanova told the Olive Press.
The issue, reported in our last issue, has generated a huge outcry among politicians, environmentalists and locals.
Well known expat writers Chris Stewart, Guy Hunter-Watts and Geoff Garvey condemned the sale.
“They are selling off the silver one more time to balance the books,” said Stewart, author of Driving Over Lemons.
The Olive Press has joined the campaign to save the estate and urges its readers to join the thousands of opponents who have already signed petitions condemning the sale.
More demonstrations are planned for the New Year.
Visit www.change.org/losAlcornocales to sign the petition
