Local opposition to Llucmajor solar mega-project

The president of the association, Maria Antonia Company, said yesterday that the project envisages the use of 750,000 square metres, the equivalent of 170 football pitches. There will also be 110 forty-metre high pylons. The association is accusing the government of "madness and stubbornness" in pursuing the project. It wants the government to do more to facilitate electricity connections with the mainland instead.

Company added that the owners of the fincas which have been earmarked for the solar park - Santa Sirga and Son Crespi - oppose the project on environmental grounds. It is not necessary, she insists, for "virgin land to be sacrificed" in order to create an industrial estate. She gave examples in the Canary Islands of councils having objected successfully to projects for an "undetermined number of high-voltage pylons" on fragile island land.

Stressing that the public is conscious of the need to reduce carbon emissions, she was clear that this should nevertheless not mean "invasive projects" such as the one that is envisaged.