Planning for the future
Bid to improve residents’ quality of life
THE FOUNDATIONS of the territorial action plan (PAT) for the future of the Vega Baja area were discussed in Torrevieja on Friday.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the town halls of Torrevieja, San Fulgencio, Guardamar, Rojales, Callosa, Benejuzar, San Isidro and Rafal, as well as the regional secretary for public works, Luis Ferrando and director general for territory, Rosa Pardo.
The point of the plan is to analyse local problems and opportunities and propose whatever action is needed to make this area ‘competitive, balanced and resilient enough to face the challenges of the future, improving the rate of progress and residents’ quality of life’, explained the regional government representatives.
Sra Pardo noted that town halls and business associations were able to explain what actions they think are most important to guarantee sustainable development.
These will be taken into account by the authors of the PAT and included in the document when it reaches the public participation stage.
She admitted that massive urban growth has occurred in the Vega Baja in the last 30 years.
It is a ‘key area’ due to its location at the southern edge of the region between the cities of Alicante, Elche and Murcia.
It has one of the largest expanses of Mediterranean farmland in Europe, as well as industries in the food sector, heritage, tourism and residential areas, but at the same time is very dependent on scarce water resources and is susceptible to flooding, which restricts possible uses of land and activities.
“The PAT has to take all of these into account and propose a rational and sustainable organisation of land,” pointed out Sr Ferrando.
“We intend to make coherent organisation of green infrastructure with logical and natural social development.”
He added that the involvement of town halls is vital because ‘they known first-hand what they need’.
Sr Ferrando added that the PAT for the Vega Baja is being drawn up straight after those for Alicante, Valencia and Castellón, having taken into account the density of its population and the increase in urban development.
Torrevieja town planning councillor Fanny Serrano said that ‘supra-municipal planning regulations are needed because we have been demanding better infrastructure and internal connections for a long time’.
“There are a series of generic and endemic town planning problems and at the same time we have to defend the area’s environmental values, such as our farmland or the connections between Torrevieja natural park and the Sierra Escalona,” she explained.
The preliminary report- which will serve as the basis of the PAT - is due to be finished by the end of this year, she said.