By Jon Clarke
A TRIO of protest groups have united to oppose plans to build ‘a speculative’ airport on protected land, near Antequera.
SEO Birdlife has joined the IU political party and local residents group Antequera Habitable to fight the huge project that threatens a key feeding ground for Andalucia’s rare flamingo.
The scheme – that would take up five million square metres of land on the celebrated Vega area – has now been officially lodged through the government’s Boletin Oficial del Estado (BOE).
Protest groups have been given days to put in their allegations regarding the plan, which they insist is “unnecessary”.
In particular, they insist that it will be built next to the Herrera Lagoon, which is classified as protected green land, according to Antequera’s town plan (PGOU).
Aside from that, they say that Malaga airport will be just 20 minutes away when the new Las Pedrizas motorway is finished next year.
“We think this is completely unnecessary,” said spokesman for Antequera Habitable Jose Galan. “You only have to look at the situation regarding another provincial airport in Ciudad Real, which has proven a failure.”
IU leader Lola Quintana said: “We believe this scheme could be an environmental disaster. It is not compatible with the current protection of this area.”
The company behind the airport, Grupo Vega, insists the scheme will bring nearly 2000 much needed jobs to the area.
