On the New General Plan, Renewable energy, climate change, efficient mobility, health tourism
Chris Jones
This plan has been incredibly long in the making ... Agenda21 representatives started providing inputs in 2006. But perhaps we have benefited from the slow process, since in the intervening years we saw the housing bubble burst, devastating floods and new environmental legislation being introduced, resulting in a more sustainable model which we may not otherwise have had.
New General Town Plan puts an end to urban expansion in Xàbia
Public scrutiny phase launched
June 7th
The preliminary version of the new General Plan (PGOU) has now been made public. From now until September 8th, members of the public can make their suggestions and complaints so they can be studied before putting the plan to a plenary council meeting. The plans can be seen in the Casa de Cultura (first floor) and on the Town Hall website (ajxabia.com). The philosophy of the plan is as follows: It seeks to put an end to the expansionism of urban development seen in recent years, proposing an "inward" growth, that is to say, using already developed urban areas and not extending into more territory. This proposal also begins to define the type of construction that is wanted in Xàbia, to recover the values of the Mediterranean architecture and be more energy efficient. Traditional dry stone walls are also protected and the three historical centres are declared as items of Local Relevance (BRL): the Old Town, the Duanes of the Port, and the Granadella. The preliminary version includes all the sectoral regulations that have been approved by the regional administration in recent years (forestry, flood zones or coastal areas), thus providing legal security to all planning.
In general terms, the urbanizable land, is cut from 10.5 million square meters earmarked in the 1990 PGOU, to 2'89 million. The Town Hall proposes a total growth limit of 1.3 million square metres. Among the areas to be protected are sectors I, II and III of the Saladar, which has been tagged as a protected rural area of archaeological value; The golf sector (more than 1 million square meters have been declassified) leaving the area where the golf course is located as a sports area.
Another pocket of land that will remain as a protected rural area is the public park of Capsades and Rafals, near Duanes which is reserved as a public park. From: Town Hall website For background about how we have struggled to reach this point see: General Plan
Local police launch a mediator
June 7th
The Xàbia local police have identified a mediating police officer, whose job it is to sort out minor conflicts between residents (e.g. noisy pets and gardeners schedules), so that disagreements can be nipped in the bud before ending up as a formal complaint or lawsuit. The officer in question is Juan Luis Sánchez. For more information call 965790081 or 682 083 314
Spain’s Environment Ministry downsizes giant solar project in Extremadura by 170 MW
June 7th
The Spanish Ministry of Environment has decided to downsize a 394.1 MW PV project planned by Iberia Termosolar, a joint venture between Spanish developer Valsolar and German-based S.A.G. Solarstrom, in Spain’s region of Extremadura by 170.1 MW. The ministry has decided to approve only two of the four plants included in the phase I of project. The Ministry said the two other projects were not approved as these represented a threat for several animal species present in the area. Alternative sites for the two projects were also rejected due to other technical and environmental issues. After Spain introduced the moratorium for solar in 2012, not a single large-scale PV project has been built in the country, although several projects such as the Iberia Termosolar’s projects were announced across several southern regions over the past years. All of these projects, which were originally conceived to sell power to the local grid at market prices, could now eventually compete in Spain’s upcoming 3 GW renewable energy auction. From PV Magazine
Xàbia, a focus for an environmental study.
June 7th
The Fundación Oceanogràfic will be carrying out an important study of the waters around Xàbia over the next few months for determine the methods of conservation of biodiversity. From their results, it will determine an action plan for the conservation of the environment with the assistance of residents and visitors to Xàbia. For full story see: Javeamigos
The Moscatel grape - a queen without a throne
June 6th
The truly distinctive gastronomic product of the Marina Alta region is the muscatel, a grape variety known as "de Alejandria"; it can withstand long droughts and produces large fruits. it had its heyday in the late nineteenth century and early 20th century with the raisin industry, but now it is making a comeback with the production of new wines. However, there are fewer and fewer vineyards in the Marina Alta. In Teulada-Moraira, 200 hectares of cultivated vineyards, but most of the vines belong to a variety that was planted in the 70s from grafting to produce table grapes. These plants have a limited life of 45 years, are now dying. The success of the grape and its wines depends upon developing a local identity, as well as creating integrated wines of the Comunidad Valenciana. Marketing and commitment to the product is also important. These were the conclusions of a meeting held in Denia by the Regulatory Council of the DOP Alicante. From :Las Provincias
Green Energy - The story of wind farms in Spain
June 6th
Between 2004 and 2011, two-thirds of the current wind capacity was installed. Thanks to public money and premiums, Spain was at the top of the league regarding wind technology. But even those passionate about renewable energy recognise that a lot of the growth took place in a climate of speculation and haphazard development. In 2011, when Mariano Rajoy’s Popular Party took power, there was a freeze on green energy. In 2008, the industry employed more than 40,000 people. Today, it employs half that figure. While the most ambitious climate change agreement in history was being signed in Paris in 2015, wind power was entering its darkest hour in Spain. There was zero increase in capacity, allowing India to overtake and push Spain into fifth place –after China, America and Germany. And if in 2013 wind energy was the top form of generation technology in Spain, 2015 saw it take third place behind nuclear and coal. Recently, the sector has been on the move again thanks to new government auctions for renewable energy installation. One of the most frequent criticisms levelled against green energy is that surplus energy cannot be stored. “It is a lie,” says Monica Aguado, who holds a PhD in industrial engineering and lectures at Navarre University while also heading an experimental micro-grid that is being used to control the electricity supply to the CENER lab from sun and wind. The experiment involves a warehouse with four storage systems – lithium-ion, flow, super-capacitors and lead-acid batteries. Depending on supply and demand, a model is designed to store and distribute energy. At times, a diesel engine is needed, Aguado confesses. But she insists that we could live 100% on renewable energy if storage was properly dimensioned. If it’s possible on this experimental island, it’s possible in the country as a whole. Perhaps so, but currently clean energy accounts for just 16.15% of total consumption in Spain. According to EU guidelines, this should reach 20% by 2020. For full story see: El País in English
Granadella will be closed to cars during July and August
June 2nd
The popular Granadella Cove will be closed to vehicular traffic during July and August in a bid to encourage sustainable tourism as well as meet the requirements of the Confederación Hidrográfica del Júcar (CHJ) which has recently imposed a parking prohibition in the dry river bed. The beach area has been voted one of the best in Spain but traffic trying to enter the cove has created havoc in recent years, even preventing the access of emergency vehicles. The main road closed between 10.00am and 7.00pm every day from Saturday 1st July until Wednesday 30th August. Aacess to visitors will be provided by a free bus shuttle every 15-20 minutes.The road will be open outside of these times whilst residents living in the affected zone will be able to access it during the restrictions with an appropriate identification card (which are being processed in the Tourist Info offices) as well as taxis and workers such as gardeners and pool cleaners. Parking in Calle Tío Catalá will be reserved for residents only whilst those visitors who arrive before 10.00am will be able to park in the grounds of the former Guardia Civil barracks and in Calle Pic Tort. For full story see: Javeamigos
Draft General plan available for public scrutiny from June 7th
May 30th
The Ayuntamiento de Xàbia is to hold an extraordinary council session on Thursday to approve plans to present to the public the first draft document of the future General Urban Development Plan (PGOU). The process, formally known as the 'Plan de Participación Pública' - the 'Public Participation Plan' - will allow all interested parties to study the preliminary version of the PGOU. In order to encourage maximum transparency and consultation, the Council has decided to extend the public consultation period, which by law should be at least 45 days, to three months. For full story see: Javeamigos. The documentation and plans will be able to be physically consulted at the Casa de Cultura and at the technical office. And a specific section on the Town Hall website will enable an on-line inspection. This will mark twelve years since the new plan was initiated to replace the obsolete one of 1990. If all goes well it is hoped the plan will be in force by late 2018 or early 2019. From La Marina Plaza
Spain and Portugal could be hit by 'megadroughts' lasting 15 years by 2100, finds study
May 30th
Spain and Portugal could be hit by “megadroughts” lasting for many years by the end of the century, according to climate models. If the worst projections are correct, the area could see a 15-year period of rainfall at less than half the average level. Researchers from Newcastle University selected a total of 15 different climate models used by leading scientific bodies around the world, including Nasa, the Met Office and the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology. “Some project small increases in drought conditions but most project multi-year droughts reaching up to … eight years of mean annual rainfall missing [over a 15-year period] … by the end of the century. In October last year, scientists reported that temperatures in southern Europe had risen by about 1.3C since the 19th century, compared to the global average of 0.85C For full story see: The Independent
Marina Alta Windmills to be protected at last
May 29th
"We can not understand how this file had not been started before." remarked a technician of the Directorate of Culture and Heritage of the Generalitat in finding out that 29 historical windmills in eight towns of the Marina Alta had not yet been preserved. This despite the fact that there had been several attempts to do so since 2008: requested by Xàbia on three occasions and Gata once. The Valencia Government decided to remedy this situation and convened a coordination meeting in Xàbia to initiate a file of Cultural Interest (BIC) for the mills in five localities represented at the meeting: the mayor of Xàbia, Jose Chulvi, Pedreguer, Sergi Ferrús, and councilors or technicians of Gata, Calp and Teulada. The technicians appealed to the other three municipalities, Benissa, Llíber and Dénia (including Jesus Pobre), to join in since a joint proposal will accelerate the protection of BIC: "we can act ex officio for those municipalities that do not apply for this protection , but we will save time if it is the municipalities who ask since they have all the information, including ownership and cadastral information. From: La Marina Plaza
The Ecomov awards set the standard for efficient mobility
May 29th
The 2nd Ecomov Exhibition, dedicated to ecological mobility, recognised those who invest in low-emission mobility with the First Ecomov Awards. The five winners were the taxi driver Francisco Javier Pérez, (electric taxi bought in 2015) the cyclist Paco Tortosa, (publicising Bike lanes) the General Hospital of Valencia, supermarkets Consum (natural gas powered truck) and Puerto de Valencia (quick charging points and electric cars). From: Las Provincias
Granadella will receive 400,000 euros for recovery after the fire
May 29th
Xàbia has hosted a new session of the Coordination Roundtable created between Xàbia town hall, the Generalitat Valenciana, the Diputación de Alicante and various technical advisors and security bodies to regulate the recovery of the Granadella area after the devastating fire of last September. The Generalitat Valenciana has committed some 150,000 euros to work on landscape recovery, removal of fire debris and the strengthening the surfaces of the slopes. The Ministry of the Environment has also been working for several months on the drafting of management rules for the LIC dels Penya-Segats in the Marina Alta and the Red Natura 2000, a protected zone into which falls the Granadella area. Raúl Carrascal, representing the Diputación de Alicante, explained than an investment of 200,000 euros will be made to protect the urban-forest zone and in Cansalades, the secure zone will be enlarged from 6 to 16 metres in width. Another 42,000 euros will be used to treat areas which escaped the fire by thinning out the forest to reduce the density of trees to both allow the growth of vegetation and avoid the risk of another forest fire. For full story see: Javeamigos
Health Tourism brings in some €307 million
May 27th
Private health care is cheaper in Spain than in many other countries, and private hospitals acre cashing in by providing treatments to visitors to the tune of some €307 million. The main demands are for IVF, prosthesis and plastic surgery, and the healthcare tourists tend to spend ten times as much as the average sun and beach tourist. 20% of the treatments are for IVF according to Spaincares (From Las Provincias Sunday Edition)
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Cullen Hightower