Over 5,400 signatures gathered in a petition against new golf course

2016-04-12 08:00:00

Vélez-Málaga Town Hall is facing strong opposition from the Asociación de Amigos del Patrimonio y la Arqueología Taha de Bezmiliana, (Taha de Bezmiliana Friends of Heritage and Archaeology) to what would be the third golf course in the Axarquía, adding to those of Añoreta in Rincón de la Victoria, and Baviera Golf in Caleta de Vélez.
The planned residential development and hotel, as well as 18-hole golf course, known as Juvigolf, in Chilches, is the focus of a petition started by the association via the change.org website.
Supporters are demanding an immediate halt to the project, arguing that the initiative would completely destroy the remains of an archaeological site dating from medieval times.
The site is a farmhouse in the abandoned 15th century Santillán settlement, which featured in a scientific report published in 2010, according to the association.
The group has asked the Culture Committee at Vélez-Málaga Town Hall to stop the work immediately so that the archaelogical expert may study the remains. These include an outer wall, pipes for the water supply and the area where livestock was kept.
“In the province of Malaga there are more than 70 golf courses, thousands of hotels and millions of houses, but there are no remaining Andalus farmhouses,” maintains the Asociación de Amigos del Patrimonio y la Arqueología Taha de Bezmiliana, which in the eight days since it launched the campaign, has already collected over 5,400 signatures.
“As well as the opportunity to learn about the way of life in the Andalus era, which could provide us with information about an area that hasn’t been occupied since it was abandoned in the 15th century, a restoration project would be an important cultural addition to an area where too many archaeological remains have already been destroyed due to prioritizing construction over heritage,” claim the campaigners.
Investment
The complex is looking at an investment of 300 million euros and includes an 18-hole golf course, 1,534 homes and a four-star hotel.
The finished project would cover an area of 1.7 million square metres and be located to the west of Vélez-Málaga, on the border with Rincón de la Victoria and Macharaviaya, to the north of the A7 motorway.
The Company responsible for developing the area initially stated that the project would be finished some time between 2020 and 2025.source surinenglish