Sant Llorenç and Son Servera City Councils have decided to pay for the cost of repairing Storm Gloria damage at Cala Millor beach themselves because, they say, Municipal administrations have refused to find a solution.
Representatives from the Tourism Consortium in Sant Llorenç and Son Servera and the Cala Millor Hotel Association met with the Demarcation of Coasts on Tuesday to insist on the need for urgent beach regeneration before the start of the tourist season.
At least 1,200 hotel reservations have been cancelled, which has resulted in losses amounting to 900,000 euros and on top of that, TUI has now removed the beach at Cala Millor from its travel catalogues.
"They have not given us any immediate solutions for the recovery of sand for the start of this season, so the Town Halls will take charge and expedite the relevant procedures themselves,” said the President of the Consortium, Marga Vives.
Last Monday the different municipalities affected by Storm Gloria gave the Tourism Minister, Iago Negueruela, and Government delegate, Aina Calvo, a letter asking that the beaches be regenerated.
“Turisme already told us that they would not put pressure on the Central Government regarding the issue of the beaches," said Marga Vives. "We also asked for a second resolution from the Ministry but that hasn’t happened either, therefore we have to keep looking for other solutions."
Report
The Consortium states that it has worked for the regeneration of the beach at Cala Millor for years and continually asked for regeneration solutions but got no answers.
A report from the University of Cantabria does offer specific solutions such as regeneration from dredging, but it’s a long process, so it is necessary to look for faster formulas.
The Town Councils have proposed regenerating the beach with sand from the sea, which Vives insists "is a solution that is not aggressive, the project could be completed in less than three weeks, and the Costas are willing to authorise, so if Medi Ambient agrees, it would be done by June and it could be the best solution for this season,” she said.
The Consortium President said she’s aware that it’s not a long term solution but that at least the stones on the beach would be covered and it would improve the condition of the beach temporarily.
The GOB criticises the mayors
The Grup d'Ornitologia Balear, or GOB has objected to requests from the Mayors, that beach regeneration projects in areas affected by Storm Gloria be exempt from environmental processing.
"The recurrence of strong storms is increasing and they are calling for a rethink of the beaches and infrastructure with a vision of the future,” claimed the GOB.
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Sand recovered from the sea will stink to the high heavens in summer Not what Tourists Pay to come too! Why doesn’t the Mallorcan Government use the Tourist Yax they have already collected for the past 3-4 years?? And they put it up last year! Tourists would be happy to see the already banked Tourist Tax used to regenerated the beaches for the benefit of both tourists and locals -Is this Not what the Tourist Tax is meant to do??
To expect holiday makers who have spent large amounts of money to be expected to relax on sea bed sand dredged to cover rocks is very poor.