Renewables Installation nightmare
April 30th
Installing a small photovoltaic system on the roof of a home can be a bureaucratic nightmare. “The permits you need to install a 10-kilowatt system are the same as you need for 100 megawatts. That is why hardly anybody installs them,” said Javier Anta, president of Photovoltaic Industrial Association (Asif). But now the government has decided to make it easier for homeowners who want to cut the red tape in renewable energy. The IndustryMinistry has prepared a draft for a decree that would make it easier for citizens to get permits to install not only solar panels, but also small wind power systems at their homes. The draft decree states that the electrical power companies will have to accept the installations within 10 days after applying for the permit and connect the systems within 45 days. At present, it can take at least eight months to get the utility to connect a solar panel, says consultant David Pérez. El pais English Edition
Camino de Santiago from Xàbia
29 April
An initiative to map out a route connecting Javea to the Camino de Santiago was presented at Xàbia's Agenda21 meeting on Tuesday. Resident Ana Watt and a group of colleagues have mapped the first section which goes from the Port to Jesus Pobre, Vergel, Pego, Forna, Villalonga and Lorcha. The idea is to mark the route with attractive milestones decorated with the shell of Santiago and a blue and yellow logo.
The Route between Javea and Jesus Pobre will open on May 29th. More information on Facebook: Xabia - Camino de Santiago
Montgó Natural Park budget down
April 28th
The 2010 budget for the management of the Montgó natural park will be €760,000, less than half what it was two years ago. With this money they will be developing sustainable forestry management, supporting traditional agriculture, monitoring and managing the marine Park of the cabo de San Antonio , mapping rare plants and invasive plant species and carrying out a census and monitoring of threatened birds in the Montgo such as Bonelli's eagle, the shag and the peregrine falcon. From XAD El Montgó desarollará..
Day Care Centre to open for more types of user
April 28th
The Xabia Day Centre will open its doors to a wider variety of users which will enable it to operate more profitably. The Department of Welfare has given permission to the Centro de Día Santa María de Betania to accommodate people for just a few hours, and also to accept those who are not legally classified as being dependents. All that remains is for a price list to be drawn up. From XAD: El centro de dia...
Joint Committee on Arenal Terraces being set up
April 23rd
The Town hall is setting up a joint committee to discuss the future regulation of the shop and restaurant terraces along the Arenal. The committee will consist of the mayor, technical staff, one rep from each of the political parties, Coasts division of the Ministry of Environment, Valencia Ports authority and reps of the Arenal restauranteurs and businesses. The idea is to find the best aesthetic and environmental solution which is compatible with the interests of both the public and commerce, as well as promoting a image of quality tourism. The next step is to get this approved at a plenary Council Meeting, then ask the various bodies to choose their representatives. from XAD El ayuntamiento crea...
Green energy producers confront government
April 25th
Group wants clarification on rates amid subsidy cut reports
Spain’s renewable energy companies have joined forces to lobby the government to explain its plans for the sector amid reports it is planning to cut the preferential rates received by green-power producers. El Pais Engish Edition See: Renewables subsidies
Nueva Javea calls for electric mini buses
April 23rd
Xàbia's opposition Nueva Javea party has called for the Town to take advantage of a grant from the Department of Infrastructure to introduce a fleet of electric minibuses in the town, like those already used in Madrid. The suggestion is that they would be small, 27 seater minibuses (the current long buses have difficulty negotiating some parts of town) and would run with a frequency of 10 to 20 mnutes. NJ calls for a joint discussion between the town hall and company which currently holds the bus service concession to explore and cost the idea. From XAD: Nueva Javea apuesta...
Town hall allocates €526,976 to improve Tosalet drainage
April 23rd.
Since the floods and small earthquake of October 2007, a new stream has been running down through Tosalet, eroding roads and private property and ending up in the Saladar wetland. The Town Hall has now approved a sum to channel this water properly. The project is expected to take six months and construction companies have 4 days in which to tender. From XAD: El Ayuntamiento destinara....
Controversy over roundabout project
April 23rd
The Town council approved the motion for the Pla Roundabout project by the narrowest majority of one. The Socialists and Nueva Javea voting no, and Juan Moragues abstaining. The opposition was concerned about the sudden urgency for this project, which had been hanging around for nine years. They noted that the release of land for the roundabout, under the Partial Plan Saladar 2, also released some 40,000 m2 earmarked for 252 houses, land belonging to the development company Salvador Vila (for background information see Saladar). From XAD: Aprueban la moción....
Cap de la Nao-Pla and Cami Cabanes Roundabout finally to go ahead
April 20th
The final "i" has almost been dotted and final "t" crossed to enable a roundabout to be builts at the junction between Cami Cabanes and the Cabo de la Nao road. This project was initiated some nine years ago and was approved provisionally by the town hall in 2006. Now the responsible authority, the Alicante Comisión Territorial de Urbanismo (CTU) of the Environment Ministry has given the green light, subject to a few corrections to a document which will be approved at a special Council Meeting on April 21st, pending the plenary Council meeting at the end of the month.
Town hall allocates first urban allotments
April 19th
The town hall has awarded the use of 16 plots to Xàbia residents, free of charge as urban allotments. These are located in the Via Augusta and each is approximately 40m2. One of the plots was awarded to TAPIS , the organisation which runs occupational workshops for the mentally disabled. The good response (21 applicants) has stimulated the town hall to look for more locations for additional allotments. From XAD: Xàbia ajudica...
|
Table of Contents
|
Spain warming faster than rest of northern hemisphere
April 13th
Spain has warmed at a faster rate than the rest of the northern hemisphere over the past three decades, according to a study prepared for the environment ministry that was published Tuesday.
The country has experienced average temperature increases of 0.5 degrees Celsius per decade since 1975, a rate that is "50 percent superior to the average of nations in the northern hemisphere", the study by the Spanish branch of the Clivar research network found. For more in English see: AFP
Juan Moragues re-elected as leader of Xàbia Partido Popular
April 11th
Despite publicised reports of divisions in the Xàbia PP and allegations of death threats against him, PP leader Juan Moragues (backed by the Valencia PP) once again demonstrated his staying power by being re-elected to the post in the face of stiff opposition from ex-colleague Juan Crisóstomo (backed by Alicante PP). With a 70% turnout amounting to 734 members, Moragues won by 23 votes. From XAD: Moragues gana.... Las Provincias notes that Moragues has promised not to stand as head of the party list at the next municipal elections. Juan Moragues...
€255,000 for Xàbia beach facilities
April 10th
The regional Ministry of tourism is to spend at total of 255,000 Euros on Xàbia's beaches, 184,500 coming from the plan to support productive sectors. The money will be spent on a high pressure cleaner for the promenades, signs, sanitary infrastructure, play area, first aid posts. In 2009, Three Xàbia beaches won Blue Flags; Arenal, La Grava and Granadella. Las provincias: Juste: Hemos invertido....
Forest area growing more in Spain than anywhere else in Europe
April 9th
Spain has the second largest total forested area (which includes scrubland, brush and undergrowth) in Europe, after Sweden, with 27.5 million hectares, and is third in terms of actual tree cover, with 18.3 million hectares. For more (in English) see: Spanish Eu Presidency site
Demonstration against closure of centre for disabled
April 7th
The group called the Plataforma en Defensa de la Ley de Dependencia de la Marina Alta is organising a demonstration on Thursday 22nd April at 5.00pm in the Palaza del Convent in Ondara in front of the regional Social Services office. This is to protest the planned closure in June of TAPIS - a centre used by some 20 disabled people aging from 18-65. (The Centre provides workshops and training through handicrafts which are sold on to the public. (TAPIS - Taller de Adaptación Pre-laboral Inserción Social)) from XAD Manifestación...
Revamped cala Blanca Plaza re-opened
April 3rd
The revamped Cala Blanca Plaza, now named Plaza Guillero Pons was officially opened on Saturday. There is a roundabout, parking spaces and recreational seats. The roundabout is topped with a sculpture by Valencian artist Andreu Alfaro which was donated by Ecis (the company which built the underground car parks). The €314,000 for the redevelopment came from the national Plan E stimulus package. Guillermo Pons was a pioneering environmentalist, particularly in the protection of Portitxoll. He was posthumously awarded the "9th October prize" by the Town Hall in 1997. from XAD: Un aparcamiento...
Xàbia hosts Fishing Conference
April 2nd
Xàbia will host a conference on the fishing sector on Tuesday April 6th in the Casda de Cultura from 10.30 am. The current economic crisis, compounded by a declining catches and the strong competition from other countries is forcing companies to reorient fishing activity. They hope to clarify initiatives and studies for new business opportunities in the sector. A collaborative agreement between the Diputación de Alicante and the Fishermen of Alicante province will be signed with a subvention of 35,000 Euros. From XAD: Xàbia acoge....
Arenal road painting starts …just before Easter
April 1st
To the surprise of both local businesses and opposition parties, the streets around the Arenal were blocked off and messed about with so that the road markings could be painted just a few days before the (hopefully) busy Easter weekend. At best this reflects poor organisation and at worst (according to the leader of the Arenal business association) a deliberate ploy to undermine the businesses there. The strange thing is that this situation occured a few days after the Town Hall meeting unanimously approved a motion which included a commitment to work together with the entrepreneurs of Arenal, in a "climate of consensus and dialogue." From XAD: El Ayuntamiento pinta....
