Dolores Is Heading Down the Final Stretch to Build 2,600 Houses next to the Hondo Natural Park
The City Council of Dolores is in the final stage of the urban development plan "Dolores Golf", which provides for the construction of 2,600 homes next to the protected area of the Hondo natural park, one of the most important tourist attractions in the town. As published in the Official Gazette of the Province (BOP), the 200 owners of the land have been given a period of three months to constitute themselves into an Urban Interest Group (AIU), as required by legislation for this type of project.
History of the Project
The initial proposal for this macro-urbanization with an 18-hole golf course dates back to 2005, during a PP government in the midst of a real estate boom. Although the provisional approval was made after the reclassification of agricultural rustic land, the final resolution did not arrive until 2008, in the midst of the brick crisis, and was published in the BOP at the beginning of 2009. However, the original developer never developed the project.
Characteristics of the Plan
The plan covers an area of 1.6 million square meters, twice the size of the urban area of Dolores. This area is one of the few parts of the municipality's orchard that is also susceptible to flooding. In September 2019, during the episode of torrential rains of the DANA, these plots were flooded for more than 30 days due to the overflow of the Segura River and Los Azarbes.
Previous Attempts and Current Situation
In 2019, the owners, including figures such as the former popular mayor Gabriel Gascón and the family of the current PP spokesman in the City Council, José Manuel Guerrero, tried to constitute themselves into AIU without success. Although they have received several proposals from developers since then, the negotiations have been hindered by the reluctance of some owners who bought the land as an investment in the 2000s.
The current mayor, Joaquín Hernández (PSOE), has been working since 2017 to find a viable solution for this legacy plan. According to Hernández, meetings have been arranged at the City Hall with the owners and companies interested in the project, but after four years without progress, he considers that the project can no longer be on hold due to its economic, social and tourist importance for the municipality.
Decisions and Deadlines
The City Council has decided that it cannot wait any longer and now it must formalize the project. In November, the plenary approved the deadline published in the BOP with seven votes in favor of the PSOE and six against the PP and Vox. In addition to the three months to become an AIU, an additional three-month period has been granted to submit an initiative that promotes the urban development program. If the owners do not meet these deadlines, the City Council will proceed with the tender of the project to award it to an urbanizing agent, renouncing direct management due to lack of personal and material means.
Future of the Land
It should be remembered that the Territorial Action Plan of the Vega Baja (PAT), initiated in 2018 by the autonomous administration under the mandate of the Botànic, proposed the protection of this soil if it was not developed in six months. However, the Generalitat Valenciana has announced its repeal, thus eliminating a possible obstacle to the development of the project.
In conclusion, the "Dolores Golf" project is about to start its development, promising to transform the area with a new urbanization that will benefit both the local economy and tourism, as long as the owners and the authorities manage to meet the established deadlines.