‘Green tax’ takes root
Developers face new fee to protect Calpe environment
DEVELOPERS building new homes and hotels in Calpe face a new tax being levied to help protect the environment.
A new bylaw passed by the town hall requires the ‘green patronage’ of developers, whether they are construction companies or private individuals.
Building a new home requires the ‘gift’ of five trees to the local authority to be planted in the town, while building attracts a tax of one tree per room.
Councillor Ana Sala – responsible for development amongst other duties – is committed to protecting the natural beauty of the town and preserving treasures such as the Peñon de Ifach, the huge coastal rock tower that dominates the skyline; the Olta mountain behind the town; Las Salinas, home to the flamingos together with other rare birds and plants; and the Queen’s Baths, the important Roman remains.
“We are a small town but we have everything; we have sea, mountains and we attract tourists – we are very privileged,” she said.
“The environment is very special and we are always very worried about the environment – we need to consolidate it all and preserve it for the future.”
And she explained the new ordinance now in place. “Anyone who builds a house will have to gift – pay to the council – five trees. If you build a hotel, you will have to gift a tree for every room.”
Licence
The councillor added: “It is a green tax. When you apply for a building licence, you pay the usual tax for building and also this green tax.
“It is very important for us, we are worried about our environment and this will mean Calpe will be greener with more trees.”
She said another plan was in place ' to plant 1,000 trees in the streets of Calpe' and to create new green areas.
The bylaw was first proposed by current mayor Cesar Sanchez and has been expanded to be even kinder to the environment.
The town has an official resident population of 21,700 but in summer there are more than 100,000 in the resort – which had an annual impact on natural resources.
A long-awaited desalination plant is still to be built; street lights in the urbanisations will be replaced with solar lights – the first 300 are to be installed and the new sports facilities have added green areas.
In addition, new roads and cycle tracks will link the beaches but avoid the town itself. 'It will not be necessary to go through the town to get to the beaches.'
Councillor Sala added: “Calpe is green and we have a green tax now; there are a lot of things we have done to protect the environment and there are a lot of things still to do.”