A new urban development project on the Costa Brava is set to become controversial. The government of Palafrugell will put to a vote in the municipal council this Tuesday the first step to build a hotel with around 70 rooms on a plot of land located between Tamariu and Aigua Xelida. This plot was included in the moratorium on constructions along the coast. The mayor of Palafrugell assures that they have tried to minimize the buildable area as much as possible, but the local political party Palafrugell en Comú Podem is up in arms and cannot believe that a project like this is being authorized in the midst of a drought.
The project by the company Salomon Real Estate SSF 1965, which has been accessed by Ràdio Palafrugell, plans to build a hotel with around seventy rooms and four medium and small-sized buildings. It will be located between Capsacosta and Puigventós streets, at the junction between Tamariu and Aigua Xelida. In fact, it is located next to a point that was already controversial a few years ago. We are talking about the Aiguacel project, which planned to build 33 luxury homes and was halted due to illegal tree felling.
The current project affects a 22,000 square meter property, of which 4,000 square meters will be built upon. The proposal submitted to the City Council includes four buildings: one main building for reception, services, and rooms, and three smaller ones for rooms. The objective, according to the report, is to minimize the landscape impact. The presented project ensures that the construction will be „the minimum necessary to guarantee the viability of the establishment.“ It will be a hotel with at least four stars.
The project also requires the replanting of all trees that are removed and will include a public green area.
This Tuesday, the council will approve the start of the urban planning process provisionally, and from there, other institutions will be requested to provide the necessary reports to definitively approve it incorporating possible modifications. Subsequently, the company will have to apply for the construction license.
„From 150 to 66 rooms“
The Palafrugell City Council defends that they have worked to reduce the impact of a construction that was allowed by the urban planning since the 1980s. The mayor, Juli Fernández, assures that the initial project that reached the previous government „planned for 150 rooms, and negotiations have brought it down to 66 rooms.“ These are statements made to Ràdio Palafrugell.
He reiterates that his government „cannot do anything other than authorize the project if they do not want to face large compensations.“
Fernández highlights the fact that the proposed development is a hotel, which „boosts the economic activity of the town.“
Part of the opposition does not view the project favorably. Palafrugell en Comú Podem has already announced that they will vote against it because they believe it is incompatible with the current drought situation. Esquerra Republicana states that they will not vote in favor, but they have not yet finalized their position.