The Town Hall of Alhaurín el Grande has agreed to proceed with a new project for the urbanisation of the valley of Barranco Blanco. The promotional company, Ondobide, has presented the new project and a new study of environmental impact as a modification of the plans first given initial approval by the Town Hall in May 2006.  These original plans were rejected by the Council of Medio Ambiente of the Junta de Andalucía - stating them to be “non-viable” for environmental reasons in the report of the Council dated September 2007.   The original project was to construct to 1,500 houses in this zone of AlhaurÍn el Grande which is considered of high ecological value by the Council of Medio Ambiente. The new project contains plans to construct almost the same number of houses (1450), but it has concentrated the construction over a smaller percentage of the total land areaat a higher density in an attempt to meet some of the objections raised by the Environment Council of the Junta de Andalucía (Medio Ambiente), particularly those concerned with the impact of the project on the river.  Also, the developers have not obtained permission for the extraction of water for this new macro development.

Several ecological organizations, and other organisations in defence of the territory, have submitted serious and comprehensive objections to the new project based on the fact that the projected urbanisation would destroy a zone of high environmental value.  This zone is a very important route between the coast and inland Andalucía for several animal species protected by legislation and the zone is also the habitat of some rare plants that exist solely in the province of Malaga.  The river in Barranco Blanco has protection afforded by the European Union (a LIC) and is listed in a catalogue of protected zones by the EU.

Alhaurin Grande 29 of Mayo 2008