The Regional Government announces in Benidorm the drafting of a new PORN for Serra Gelada Natural Park, which has expired since 2015

The Regional Government will begin immediately drafting a new natural resources management plan (PORN) for Serra Gelada Natural Park to replace the one currently being used and which has expired since 2015. This is what the mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, and the Minister of Environment, Water, Infrastructure and Territory, Salomé Pradas, announced this Monday at the end of a meeting where both addressed the main needs of the tourist city in these matters and in which the regional secretary of Infrastructure and Transport, Vicente Dómine, has also participated. The councilor has also announced the development of other major projects, such as the implementation of a provisional shock plan to improve connectivity between the municipalities of the Marina Baixa, works to complete the electrification of lines 1 and 9 of the TRAM and improvements in the sanitation network between Benidorm and l'Alfàs del Pi.

“Many important issues have been addressed for Benidorm, for the Marina Baixa region, and, therefore, also for the entire Valencian Community in the face of what have been eight years of inaction, if not of penalties, not only to Benidorm but to the entire territory by the previous government of the Generalitat," said the mayor, who also anticipated the city's gratitude for the "sensitivity" of the minister in the face of the main demands.

“Talking about the environment where one of the most important natural parks in the Valencian Community is located and, without a doubt, the most visited; talking about connectivity and infrastructure in what is a metropolis of more than 200,000 people such as the Marina Baixa and even come with homework done; or talking about the need for resources in water purification, in connections or the best infrastructures for the care of purified water, regenerated water, in which Benidorm is an example, and that everything is already included and prepared, there is no choice to express gratitude for your work," the mayor told the minister. Likewise, Toni Pérez defended that the issues discussed are “important issues for the present and future of Benidorm and the entire Marina Baixa.”

“We are, therefore, very happy that some issues are finally leaving the drawer of oblivion to take courage, see the light, and apply efficient and effective measures” so that “they will soon become a reality,” added the mayor.

For her part, the minister Salomé Pradas wanted to come to Benidorm and she was aware of the demands and requests, many of which had not been heard for eight years, without being attended to and without their mayors having had an opinion; necessary dialogue with the Generalitat Valenciana, after which she stated that “the Government of Carlos Mazón wants to be a municipal Government. For this reason, as soon as I was appointed councilor it was clear to me that I had to come to a city as important, as relevant as Benidorm."

Pradas highlighted that this city deserves the best infrastructure, and the best services because millions of tourists come to enjoy beaches and a municipality so prepared, with a mayor and a government team who go out of their way daily to offer the best services, but who lacked a Generalitat Valenciana that would attend to those demands of its competence.".

For this reason, she confirmed the “commitment” of the new regional government to “return to everything that was left in a drawer eight years ago”, especially some projects that she described as “very important”. The first of them, and which the Consell will develop as a priority, is the new Resource Management Plan for Serra Gelada, a plan that is intended to “start immediately and with the help of all the affected municipalities, which are located in this wonderful natural enclave, from dialogue and consensus.” “We want to address this new regulatory configuration on this natural park from the Generalitat, speaking with the mayors and councilors of the Environment, seeing from reason and respect for the environment how we can evolve in the compatibility of public uses and also agricultural uses. ”.

“This Natural Park has had its PORN expired since 2015 and I know that on several occasions the mayor of Benidorm brought this issue to the attention of the Generalitat and they looked the other way, leaving this enclave without this important regulation to organize natural resources but also the enjoyment of a park that is one of the most important in the Community, one of the flagships of nature,” highlighted Salomé Pradas. For the councilor, this space that "is one of the most unknown parks, perhaps because they wanted to protect it so excessively that it has not been able to be enjoyed by citizens and tourists", which is why in her opinion "it has been to open so that it can be enjoyed and valued, always with respect for our natural environment.”

“Environmental protection can go hand in hand with the economic, agricultural, and tourist development of these natural enclaves and we are committed to making it so, making the environment and public use compatible,” she added.

As regards water and sanitation, Minister Pradas has announced that the Generalitat will also immediately start, through EPSAR, another project that has been on hold for years, such as the improvement of sanitation between Benidorm and l'Alfàs. del Pi, with a budget of 3.3 million euros, which is scheduled to be executed starting next November.

Likewise, in terms of transport, Salomé Pradas has made two other announcements in Benidorm. On the one hand, the approval of a provisional plan, with a duration of two years, to improve land transport connectivity between the different municipalities of the Marina Baixa, will be endowed with 6.8 million euros. This plan, which will be in force while the new concession plan is being drafted, will allow for improvements in frequencies, schedules, and the service provided. “We have had to act expressly and urgently to develop this provisional shock plan in the face of this expiration of concessions and so that citizens can have this public service in a few weeks,” said the minister, who recalled that mayors of all colors have been demanding a new concession plan for the road transport service for seven years and from the Consell we are going to respond to this request, based on consensus, so that it becomes a reality as soon as possible.

On the other hand, she has also announced that her Department plans to carry out different investments in the coming years on lines 1 and 9 of the Alicante TRAM, with a total budget of 80 million euros, which will be divided into three different actions to  connect the Marina area during this legislature.”