Alicante closes illegal settlements in rural areas

The Alicante City Council and the Department of Territory and Environment have begun sealing the illegal settlements detected in rural areas, constructions identified by the Association of Neighbours of La Cañada del Fenollar and reported to the authorities. "It marks a before and after in the fight for urban legality and environmental protection," they state from this association.

This action, recently materialised in one of the farms in the area known as La Molineta, involves the placement of black tapes and visible seals. According to the residents, "it affects all farms and all illegal subdivisions, not only the works but also shanties, caravans, mobile homes, adapted containers, and other elements used as dwellings."

The Association of Neighbours of La Cañada del Fenollar reported the appearance of buildings on rustic land, some in flood-prone areas. These constructions were even advertised on social media. These complaints not only reached the regional and municipal authorities, who have coordinated to open the necessary files and close these buildings, but were also brought to the attention of the Prosecutor's Office.

The Public Prosecutor's Office, according to the residents, is initiating judicial proceedings as the reports from Seprona, the Civil Guard's Nature Protection Service, arrive.

The La Molineta farm is just the first. More than 30 illegal settlements have been identified, according to the residents, which will follow the same path: administrative sealing and possible charges for crimes against land planning and the environment. However, they warn that "the association will continue working and monitoring that the seals are not violated, and we will continue to report all illegalities."

The residents wish to publicly thank all the public institutions that have made this reality possible: from the Ombudsman, Ángel Luna, "whose report was crucial to activate administrative action"; to the director of the Valencian Agency for Territorial Protection and the Urban Planning Department of the Alicante City Council, which has created a specific department to eradicate illegal settlements.

In the chapter of acknowledgments, the residents appreciate the work of the Alicante Local Police for their direct communication with our team. Also, to the socialist councillor Raúl Ruiz "for giving us a voice" and to the mayor, Luis Barcala, "for expressing his commitment to urban legality, even though he did not formally support the opposition's initiative." They also applaud the involvement of the Compromís councillor Rafa Mas, "who has shown a clear willingness to work for an orderly city free of polluting industries."

"This success demonstrates that when institutions work transversally, regardless of their political colour, the beneficiary is the citizenry," they stated in a communiqué.