Redesignating the Golf Sector as a Sports & Recreation Area

A preliminary planning analysis and the development of options for the expansion of the Club de Golf Javea as well as opportunities to redesignate and develop the majority of the surrounding area for further Sports Facilities and Recreational Activities has been prepared by architect and Javea Golf Club member Brian Courtenay. November 2006

This has been developed as a series of diagrammatic land use plan options taking into account the various potential constraints and the major objective of protecting the existing rural environment and open aspect of the area examined, conforming to similar site boundaries that were adopted by the most recent PAI submission of Valdicsa.

The major objective of this design approach is to preserve as far as possible the sense of the green rural habitat that exists in this Javea valley. The golf course areas are designed as free flowing central open spaces without any intrusions from the associated development.

This open space would form the green “heartland” at the base of the valley overlooked possibly by limited housing on the surrounding sloping land.

To the East, a periphery road arrangement would also ensure the minimum intervention of the new infrastructure on the central ‘heartland’. In order to maintain the countryside environment as one travels through the valley it is proposed to incorporate the major public open space provision as one entity along the eastern roadside of the main Benitachell to Javea road. The surrounding area could include high quality landscaped sporting and recreational facilities with easy access for residents as well as for the general public.

The existing residential areas are incorporated within the overall planning arrangement without any physical impact on their property boundaries. A new sheltered housing development is set away from the existing major road thus providing level terrain and a peaceful ambience for its residents. Some existing residential zones located on sloping land would be expanded minimally to allow most dwellings to have unobstructed views of the golf course, the public open space and the surrounding countryside.

In order to preserve the future integrity of the overall valley it also proposed to extend a similar conceptual planning arrangement to the West across the main Benitachell to Javea road to encompass other potential development land. This could incorporate a public nine-hole golf course, further public open space, a potential resort hotel and provision for other sports and recreational facilities, thus creating a continuous major green landscaped open space either side of the main access road. Similar to the project to the east, possibly some quality residential development would be expanded from existing areas on the surrounding hillside, incorporating a periphery road system.

Based upon the high quality countryside environment that would be created by this planning arrangement it would be essential that sports and recreational facilities are designed in order to maintain the continuity and integration of building and landscape. Any new houses should also be detached on generously sized plots allowing adequate landscaped enclosure. The main aim of this conceptual design layout approach is to avoid the dominance of any new building over the landscape, including any scheme that is included for sheltered housing.

With a plan executed that adopts these concepts as planning and design guidelines for this valley, Javea would begin to re-establish its reputation as one of the most desirable locations in which to live or to visit on the Costa Blanca, with a range of year round Sports and Recreational facilities.

The objective of this design approach is to create a harmonious development of the existing countryside to benefit of local residents and visitors while reducing the environmental impact to a minimum.

9 Options were developed. The preferred option is Number 9 which is described below:

Option No. 9
Content - · 18 hole golf course
· 9 hole golf course
· Existing residential
· The new Alborada
· Existing industrial
· Sport and recreation land
· Sheltered housing land
· Resort hotel
· Luxury housing

option9.jpg

This option is an alternative arrangement based upon option 7. i.e. There are two golf courses (pale blue) One private (larger plot) and the other municipal (smaller plot). There is a luxury hotel (yellow/orange) and recreational green zones (green). The variation relocates the sheltered housing (sky blue) into the flatter land to the north of the study area. Two zones of luxury housing (reddish orange) are also incorporated on the periphery of the proposed new golf courses integrated into the existing residential in these areas (dark purple and brown). It is anticipated that this form of residential development would take the form of high quality houses on large naturally landscaped plots that would blend in with the rural environment of the area. This provision would assist in the financing of the additional golf, sport and recreational facilities plus the supporting infrastructure. This option provides Javea with the unique opportunity to create a major open-air sporting and recreation facility that apart from golf could include an international tournament tennis centre and all other field sports. Areas for picnicking horse riding and other more leisurely activities could also be incorporated.

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