Rob Horgan
THOUSANDS of Costa del Sol residents are ‘at risk’ of pollution from a giant planned composting site.
Up to 10,000 people will be affected by the waste plant, in Estepona, if it is approved by the Junta, claim locals.
Thousands of residents have submitted two petitions to the town hall and an eight-page legal letter has been delivered to the Junta.
They claim the project will have a negative impact on the local water supply, as well as cause substantial air pollution.
They also insist the decision to pass the scheme by Estepona Town Hall stinks of ‘cronyism’.
In particular, they are angry that permission to build on the site has been granted to Andres Sedeno Montes, whose company, Excavaciones Sedeno Montes, has carried out work for the town hall in the past.
The father of the architect behind the scheme is also a councillor.
Among those leading the campaign to stop the work is chartered surveyor Campbell Ferguson.
“Over 3,000 households are at risk,” the expat told the Olive Press. “Local urbanisation presidents backed the protest and more talks are under way.”
He explained that the main worry is how the site will affect the water system.
“No plans have been put in place to monitor runoff water which will seep into agricultural land and nearby wells.”
He added: “This site should be moved up to Casares where there is already a similar plant. Why spoil the whole of the valley for no reason?”
When contacted by the Olive Press, developer Andres Montes said that the waste site ‘would’ go ahead despite the protests.
He also insisted he had experience of managing other waste sites, but failed to elaborate on which ones.
“I cannot confirm when or how big the site will be, but it will definitely go ahead,” he said.
Estepona Town Hall confirmed plans were in place to turn the land into a compost site but declined to comment further.
There’s more than one kind of stink about this plan.