Pollensa | E. BALLESTERO

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The saga of the Puerto Pollensa ticket booths now finds environmentalists GOB in full demand mode. Construction work should cease immediately, insist GOB in a document sent to and registered with the regional government’s ministry of mobility, under which comes the Ports IB authority.

A week ago, as noted on these pages, GOB had drawn attention to the fact that the booths are in an area of protected easement on land-maritime public domain. No building of any type can be permitted if it is possible for them to be be located somewhere else, and GOB were of the view that they could be

As well as the “visual impact”, the environmentalists are now highlighting provisions (or lack thereof) in Pollensa’s urban planning and Ports IB’s own general plan for the islands’ ports. With regard to the latter, say GOB, the building of the six booths for commercial purposes “is not contemplated or foreseen”.

As to the urban plan, there should apparently be regulation of building terms and conditions in a special plan for the port area. No such special plan has ever been approved.

Therefore, GOB conclude that “the construction of these six booths violates the urban and port planning regulations prescribed by both state and regional laws”. Hence, there is the demand to halt construction.

Planning niceties aside, is the fuss about these buildings out of step with what people think? One report in the local media refers to the construction of the booths having caused rejection by “a good part” of the public. Has it? Yes, there was another protest last weekend, but it was hardly a mass demo.

The booths are not a Puerto Pollensa cause célèbre of indignation on a Gelats Valls ice-cream kiosk scale.