Historic agricultural building threatened in Calpe, Costa Blanca

THE Business Park in the Town Plan’s recently-approved Plan Parcial could endanger an historic property. All political parties on the local council agreed that the business park will benefit Calpe but Marco Bittner, a PSOE socialist councillor, pointed out that it entails destroying an historic property, La Soliva. Built in the mid-19th century, the country house has a fine riurau, the terrace where grapes were laid out to dry before processing as raisins. During the council meeting Calpe’s mayor Ana Sala, from the Partido Popular, defended La Soliva’s importance and pledged “her public commitment” to saving the property. This included starting proceedings to protect it as listed building and to restore the riurau as a feature of the future business park’s green space. Bittner thanked Sala for her involvement and “conciliatory tone. ”Because of this, he added, the PSOE would abstain instead of voting against the business park. This does not necessarily guarantee that La Soliva will be saved, as Urban Development councillor, Juan Manuel del Pino from the Ciudadanos party described the PSOE’s attitude as frivolous. If possible, he said, the riurau would be saved, but did not promise to its conservation.