Rob Horgan
RONDA is facing yet another planning farce.
The town hall is set to return €650,000 to developers behind an urbanisation project that was never built.
In the latest case of poor management from the town hall’s planning department, the Junta has rejected plans for the new La Pariche golf course and housing complex.
The La Pariche proposal included the construction of 160 homes alongside an 18-hole course.
However, the Junta rejected the proposal because the site was protected.
As a result, Ronda Town Hall will have to make an initial repayment of €100,000 and then €15,000 each month thereafter.
It comes after the Los Merinos golf complex was finally sunk by the Supreme Court last year.
After almost a decade of legal warfare, the Supreme Court ruled that the plans violated environmental laws.
Despite numerous appeals from the developers and Ronda Town Hall, the Supreme Court backed the Andalucian High Court ruling that the €18.9 million macro project would have affected the water supplies of at least seven neighbouring towns and villages.
Developers Copisa are now demanding €8.5 million back from Ronda in paid licence fees.
The town hall still hopes to reignite the development project.
Good call by the Junta for a change. The obsession with golf courses has to stop. Build universities instead, and stop the brain drain. Oh, but they can’t do that can they?