TEN TOWN PLANNING VIOLATIONS IN COURTSBy David Eade
The three judges of the Ronda courts and the Málaga prosecutor are currently undertaking ten investigations in to the breaking of the town planning laws in the municipality. Ecologistas en Acción reported that some of these cases dated back to 2003 and although no hearings have yet been held they remain open.
The most high profile investigation involves the illegal construction of four buildings in the Hoya del Tajo. This development has been denounced by the ecologists but also the regional government’s police force and the environmental wing of the Guardia Civil, Seprona.
Also under the spotlight is an equestrian centre at the Puerto de la Muela. In this instance ten councillors of the previous administration are under investigation for obstructing justice. There are also reports of overbuilding in the same zone of two chalets and an agricultural unit.
Amongst the other cases are the building of a warehouse used by a bodega but which is situated very close to the Roman ruins of Acinipo and a house built in the same area on non-urban land. It was Seprona that took action in both these cases.
Of course the most celebrated case in Ronda relates to Los Merinos golf – luxury urbanisation development. Here the town hall issued a works licence despite the regional government having given it a negative report. There are now court cases brought by Izquierda Unida and the regional government against the mayor, Antonio Marín, and town hall officials.
PSOE propose expropriations in historic quarter
A working party set up on the special plan for the historic quarter of Ronda by PSOE – one of the town hall coalition partners – has submitted a series of changes it wants made to the provisional document. Amongst these is a series of property expropriations to improve the image of the area and to protect Ronda’s heritage.
Specifically the PSOE groups wants the town hall to take over abandoned properties in the historic quarter or those that are in a poor state. It sites the case of the Casa del Jalifa that was taken over and restored and is to be used for public services.
GAUCÍN RESIDENTS CONTINUE FIGHT AGAINST HIGH TENSION POWER LINEIt was back in November 2007 that the Ronda News first broke the story of the fight by Gaucín residents against the plans by Endesa Sevillana to build a high-tension power line across a beautiful protected valley.
At the time Gaucín resident Jane Powell told us: “Endesa is proposing to put a new line of high tension 20m high pylons some 7 km in length across an EEC protected valley near to Gaucín. They are using the certificate of “national priority” to override the protection order.”
Since then the battle has very much gone against the residents who formed an action group to halt the project. It was authorised by the regional government on the grounds that it was in the public interest, a ruling as Jane suggested seems to outweigh the fact that is going to ruin an area of natural beauty which is home to endangered species and deemed of special environmental interest.
It is not just the action group with Jamie Ewing at its head that is fighting the project. Gaucín town hall, Ecologistas en Acción are both strongly opposing it and 2,000 residents have signed a petition to have the power line stopped.
Last Wednesday the action group went to Sevilla to make their voices heard holding a demonstration outside the offices of Sevillana-Endesa. Jamie Ewing said they were taking their case to the Andaluz Ombudsman, José Chamizo, to tell him: “the new high tension lines are not necessary because there exist others going to the same place and these can be enlarged instead.” Chamizo is now studying the case.
Ewing explained that this view was supported by a study of technical engineers who say that it is viable to change the project to make it accepted both environmentally and technically.
The mayor of Gaucín, Francisco Ruiz, has suggested that Sevillana Endesa should reinforce and reutilise the high tension line that transports electricity to the centre at San Roque. He said this would avoid a new high tension power line causing a large amount of environmental damage.
DAYLIGHT ROBBERY
There was an attempted robbery on the Caja Rural Granada in Ronda’s central plaza de Socorro at 12.20 on Monday. A man and a woman entered the bank whilst a second man kept the door open to avoid it being locked by the security system. The sub-director managed to sound the alarm causing the trio, all thought to be South American, to flee. National and local police were soon on the scene but as of yet no arrests have been made.
ACCESS RONDA
Last week Ronda announced it had produced a tourist guide in Braille so blind people could enjoy the sites – the first town in Spain to do so. This week the tourism office launched its ‘ciudad accesible’ project aimed at ensuring the historic town and its buildings would become fully accessible to handicapped tourists and also make life easier for residents with disabilities.
ARMED ROBBERY
Last Wednesday at 21.30 four masked gunmen held up the BP Los Pinos petrol station on the Campillos road in Ronda. The staff had been told in such instances to offer no resistance and to hand over the cash box to the thieves. This they duly did and the robbers escaped with – 300 euros. The Guardia Civil are searching for the gang’s Opel Corsa.
Last Wednesday at 21.30 four masked gunmen held up the BP Los Pinos petrol station on the Campillos road in Ronda. The staff had been told in such instances to offer no resistance and to hand over the cash box to the thieves. This they duly did and the robbers escaped with – 300 euros. The Guardia Civil are searching for the gang’s Opel Corsa.
FIRST JUMP
The provincial delegate and Ronda’s councillor for agriculture last week opened the first phase of the municipal equestrian school being built adjacent to the horse stud farm. So far 120,000 euros has been invested on a horse training track and now another 120,000 euros is to be spent on an equine therapy centre for use by handicapped people or those with chronic illnesses.
The provincial delegate and Ronda’s councillor for agriculture last week opened the first phase of the municipal equestrian school being built adjacent to the horse stud farm. So far 120,000 euros has been invested on a horse training track and now another 120,000 euros is to be spent on an equine therapy centre for use by handicapped people or those with chronic illnesses.
AGUSTÍN’S BACKThere was much consternation in El Burgo last August when the venerated statue of San Agustín fell to the ground and was smashed injuring a woman. The accident happened as those carrying the patron performed a dancing movement accompanied by the municipal band. Now after eight months of restoration the statue will be ready to again take to the streets on August 28.
LEOPOLDO HOMAGE
The village of Alpandeire in the Serranía de Ronda is the birthplace of Cappuccino Fray Leopoldo, the holy friar later who worked amongst the poor of Granada where he is also venerated. On August 29 a number of events will take place in Alpandeire as part of the campaign to have Leopoldo beatified a process on the path to sainthood which started in 2006.
The village of Alpandeire in the Serranía de Ronda is the birthplace of Cappuccino Fray Leopoldo, the holy friar later who worked amongst the poor of Granada where he is also venerated. On August 29 a number of events will take place in Alpandeire as part of the campaign to have Leopoldo beatified a process on the path to sainthood which started in 2006.
WATER INVESTMENT
As part of a wider programme of investment in water infrastructure the Diputación de Málaga is carrying out two projects in the Serranía de Ronda. In Benaoján 10,000 euros is being allocated to purchasing a new pump and engine for improving supply within the village whilst in Cuevas del Becerro 26,408 euros is being spent on the mains from the municipal reservoirs.
As part of a wider programme of investment in water infrastructure the Diputación de Málaga is carrying out two projects in the Serranía de Ronda. In Benaoján 10,000 euros is being allocated to purchasing a new pump and engine for improving supply within the village whilst in Cuevas del Becerro 26,408 euros is being spent on the mains from the municipal reservoirs.
NOCHE VIEJA
Whilst most of us celebrated Noche Vieja – New Year’s Eve – on December 31 the people of Cañete La Real held their party on Saturday night. Many have moved from the village to other places in Spain and Europe but return for the month of August hence it was decided to hold this fiesta in their honour including a “Miss y Mister Emigrante” competition.
Whilst most of us celebrated Noche Vieja – New Year’s Eve – on December 31 the people of Cañete La Real held their party on Saturday night. Many have moved from the village to other places in Spain and Europe but return for the month of August hence it was decided to hold this fiesta in their honour including a “Miss y Mister Emigrante” competition.
