Costa Chief Warns of Murcian Overdevelopment

Francisca Baraza, head of the Spanish coastal department for the Murcia region, warned that the region faces a “collapse” in its infrastructure due to the huge increase in its population expected over the next few years.

In a statement posted on the website of the regional Socialist Party (PSOE), Baraza says that an extra 5,512 houses are scheduled to be built in Murcia over the next five years in some 33 “urbanisations”.

Baraza claims that this will lead to the collapse of the road system, a deterioration in the quality of water, the lack of green areas, and a shortage of public services.

Singled out as an area of particular concern was the Mar Menor, Spain’s largest saltwater lagoon and the site of the famous La Manga Club, as well as a growing number of new developments.

Local government actions and policies would have a negative effect on the area’s population and environment, according to Baraza. She also added that the regional government is responsible for the delay in the implementation of an ecological protection plan for the lagoon, which has been available since 1999.

A spokesperson from the government of the Murcian region hit back at Baraza, saying that her statistics were uncertain. Local Costa Blanca News quoted the Murcian region spokesperson saying that there are residential developments included in the town plans of Cartagena or Fuente Alamo. Other developments have been constructed or awaiting approval from the regional government. According to the spokesperson, it is not possible to say that all the houses will be built.

Murcia is the fastest-growing region in Spain, with 27,000 new residents the previous year based on official government figures. According to Costa Blanca News, some two-thirds of these new arrivals are foreigners, with the British community in Murcia growing almost 30 percent the previous year.

Posted on: Spain

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Costa Chief Warns of Murcian Overdevelopment

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