'Not enough sand' to restore beaches

TWO of the Marina Alta's mosteroded beaches cannot be regenerated this summer because 'there is not enough sand around', according to the provincial office of the national coast department (Costas).

Every year – often several times – the 'beachless' Blay Beach in Las Marinas and Les Deveses, which is geographically in El Verger but governed by Dénia, have to be sandscaped so sunseekers have somewhere to spread their towels.

Lorryloads of sand are then washed away during the first rain storm of the autumn. Yet Costas says it has no sand available this year.

Normally, sediment for sandscaping is taken from l'Estanyó, a semi-urban beach close to the Almadrava shoreline in Els Poblets, or from the beach near the north pier in Dénia port. But both have run out of 'spare' sand.

What little has been found is being used for repair works on Punta Negra beach in Las

Rotas, Marineta Cassiana, and El Molinell – another beach that belongs to Dénia but is right on the Oliva border.

Costas says it had not planned to regenerate Les Deveses in any case, because of ambitious plans in place costing €14 million to build an anti-erosion system.

This, which will involve creating artificial dunes and two partly-sunken breakwaters, has now gone through the compulsory public display phase for objections and those received are said to be 'fairly straightforward to resolve'.

The next stage is to put the contract out to tender, but it will be a race against time to finish the works before the autumn.

Dénia's mayor Vicent Grimalt was due to hold another video-conference meeting with three of Costas' senior figures on Tuesday.

He intended to labour the point that 'at least a few metres of beach' were essential for summer, particularly with the need for social distancing.