Santa Ponsa, Mallorca

Santa Ponsa, a "saturated" resort. | Archive

Andrew EdePalma24/03/2023 08:33
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On Thursday, the Balearic Environment Commission presented a report to the Council of Mallorca which calls on the Council to definitively remove the possibility of allowing new tourist accommodation places (beds) in resorts that are defined as "saturated" - these are Arenal (Llucmajor), Magalluf, Palmanova, Playa de Palma and Santa Ponsa.

As things currently stand, the Council cannot grant additional accommodation places anywhere in Mallorca. This is because of the four-year moratorium on new places that was introduced by the Balearic government in February 2022. The Council's own PIAT plan for intervention in tourist areas from 2019 doesn't envisage any modification to limits on places in saturated resorts. However, there could be modification were this to be deemed a "legal imperative". Essentially, the commission is looking for this possibility to be eliminated.

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The commission comes under the Balearic environment ministry. Its function is primarily to assess environmental impacts. In this regard, it says that human pressure cannot be allowed to increase in saturated areas. Were it to, this would place greater stress on wastewater treatment and mobility on the roads while it would also increase energy consumption. Even though there is a moratorium in place, the commission argues that the Council should amend its territorial plan for Mallorca to ensure that there is no possibility of greater human pressure.

The councillor for territory, Maria Antònia Garcías, says that the Council will study how this amendment can be incorporated.