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A project exists for renovating a farm where 13 swimming pools have been added without a licence, as well as a new carpark of 1,400 square meters, a road opened, and other minor works. Institutional protection given to offenders has meant that many cases are repeated.

Nearly a year ago, GOB wrote to the Consortium for Urban Discipline telling them of the considerable movement of land and works at an agro tourism south of Ciutadella. An inspection has now confirmed that these are unlicensed activities and proceedings have been opened.

The case is reminiscent of the illegal swimming pools of Torre Vella and serves to make a public declaration that three years after the resolution for making sanctions against Torre Vella (more than four since the denouncement) the swimming pools continue to be operative.

For that first official complaint about the swimming pools, the Alaior Town Council is still undecided whether or not they can be made legal. They will not let GOB consult the urban planning file (Alaior Town Hall) nor the environmental one (of the Consell Insular – the Island Governing Council). GOB has placed the case in the hands of specialist lawyers.

GOB considers that these institutional activities, clearly protective of those who have committed infractions, encourage similar incidents to be repeated in Menorca. If the answers by the institutions had been more decisive in the first place, it would be much more difficult for cases, such as the one reported today, to be repeated.

Let us hope that this case can be dealt with more quickly.