An open letter to Sir Richard Rogers (english version)
[Para ver el texto en español, ir a: http://milenarium.blogspot.com/2007/05/carta-abierta-richard-rogers-versin-en.hml]
Dear Sir Richard Rogers,
We are writing to you to express our major concerns about "El Parque Temático, Coto Macairena, Dilar-Gójar" and the determined efforts to prevent it.
"Escapate" is a non-political, non-affiliated, open collective formed in Dílar in opposition to the plans of the local councils, your partnership and your associates.
Recently, we have gone to great efforts to study the plans while on public inspection and have made subsequent allegations against them. Furthermore, many other groups and hundreds of individuals have presented further allegations in Dílar, Gójar, Granada and further a field. Thousands have visited our web page (http://milenarium.blogspot.com). On 10th March 2007, we helped organize a demonstration of over 1 500 people in central Granada against the "cement dictatorship" that has gripped Granada and countless other places in Spain.
The consensus is that this macro-project, on the edge of one of metropolitan Granada's few remaining "true" villages, is clearly not environmentally or economically sustainable. The destruction of two and a half million square metres of beautiful landscape, adjacent to the national park of Sierra Nevada, cannot be justified neither through your planning theories and experiments nor by the creation of jobs, mainly short term and low paid. Dílar does not need its own "Millennium Dome"!
We want genuine sustainable development not smoke screens for savage urbanization projects. The area is abundant in natural resources and the surrounding fertile plain lends itself to organic agriculture. Sporting and cultural activities, rural tourism, small-scale rural industry and environmental education projects, all based on the existing infrastructure, offer us a more sustainable and brighter future.
The villages on the plain of Granada have merged into an inhuman urban sprawl, often founded on speculation and criminal activity rather than actual need. Granada has more than 40 000 empty properties within its urban area yet the construction boom continues, benefiting only those with vested interests. Your project plans a further 3 200 homes, abundant commercial premises, tourist attractions and two nine hole golf courses. Yet an 18 hole golf course and associated urbanization has only just been completed in nearby Otura (3km from Dílar) and another at Las Gabias (7km). Development of this type and scale has already destroyed much of the Mediterranean coast.
Everyday, local newspapers report on the corruption between speculators, the construction industry and local politicians. Already the newspapers have reported cases of this in relation to your project. Furthermore, last month, members of our group and other individuals were illegally denied proper public access to the plans and documents that were available for public inspection (please refer to the accompanying photocopy). The Guardia Civil has filed the charges.
The original team of architects have recently resigned, due to the serious legal problems that have arisen.
We believe that your international prestige as an architect concerned with environmental issues will be severely damaged should you continue to give credence to these plans. Water, air, soil, noise and light pollution (we enjoy seeing stars in the sky here), the loss of natural habitats and a dramatic demographic change are not acceptable in any project that proposes to be environmentally sustainable.
The "Plan Ordenacion Intermunicipal de Dílar-Gójar" states that the project will increase the local population by 300per cent and the consumption of water will increase by 800per cent. The system of recycling water for the golf course also raises major concerns, reflected in our allegations. Parking for over 4 000 visitor journeys per day is planned while the new local residents will add at least another 1000 car journeys. New motorway sections and major roads will serve them. More flights are anticipated to Granada Airport in Santa Fe. How ironic it is that you are due to receive the Pritzker Prize for Architecture on 4th June, the day before World Environment Day!
The climate is changing; precipitation is decreasing. "El Parque Tematica" and its associated developments are neither sustainable nor necessary. To loose more of its natural resources in exchange for more bricks, cement and asphalt is not the type of progress that the area needs. The local population has never been properly consulted and is still not aware of the impact of these plans. This is now changing. Our group and many others will continue to inform people at local, national and international level and use all legal means possible to ensure that Dílar remains true to its motto “Tan cerca y tan diferente” / “So near yet so different.”
In April 1990, citizens and friends of Dílar successfully defended the village as the machines rolled in and the riot police threatened. This was to stop an urbanization of similar proportions being built above Dílar and along the river. As a result, Dílar is regarded as a "miracle" to have resisted the urban sprawl. Those with the experience of 1990 and hundreds of others more will continue to resist.
Thank you for taking time to read our letter. Please could you take the time to consider our letter with your partners? We look forward to your reply.
Yours truly,
ESCAPATE Dílar-Gójar
Especulación Stop Ciudadan@sAnti Parque Temático en Dílar y Gójar
(Stop Speculation, Citizens Against the Thematic Park in Dílar and Gójar)
escapatedilargojar@yahoo.es
The collective ESCAPATE Dílar-Gójar has begun an Internet petition in order to send a message to Sir Richard Rogers, the prestigious architect (known for works such as Terminal 4, Barajas Airport, Madrid, the Pompidou Centre in Paris and the Millennium Dome, London).
Sir Richard Rogers and his company are responsible for designing the Coto de Macairena-Milenarium project that is planned for Dilar and Gojar. With this letter, we want to demonstrate our opposition to this project and ask one of its author how it can be justified. At the address http://www.firmasonline.com/1Firmas/camp1.asp?C=638 you can sign our petition and support our campaign.
Dear Sir Richard Rogers,
We are writing to you to express our major concerns about "El Parque Temático, Coto Macairena, Dilar-Gójar" and the determined efforts to prevent it.
"Escapate" is a non-political, non-affiliated, open collective formed in Dílar in opposition to the plans of the local councils, your partnership and your associates.
Recently, we have gone to great efforts to study the plans while on public inspection and have made subsequent allegations against them. Furthermore, many other groups and hundreds of individuals have presented further allegations in Dílar, Gójar, Granada and further a field. Thousands have visited our web page (http://milenarium.blogspot.com). On 10th March 2007, we helped organize a demonstration of over 1 500 people in central Granada against the "cement dictatorship" that has gripped Granada and countless other places in Spain.
The consensus is that this macro-project, on the edge of one of metropolitan Granada's few remaining "true" villages, is clearly not environmentally or economically sustainable. The destruction of two and a half million square metres of beautiful landscape, adjacent to the national park of Sierra Nevada, cannot be justified neither through your planning theories and experiments nor by the creation of jobs, mainly short term and low paid. Dílar does not need its own "Millennium Dome"!
We want genuine sustainable development not smoke screens for savage urbanization projects. The area is abundant in natural resources and the surrounding fertile plain lends itself to organic agriculture. Sporting and cultural activities, rural tourism, small-scale rural industry and environmental education projects, all based on the existing infrastructure, offer us a more sustainable and brighter future.
The villages on the plain of Granada have merged into an inhuman urban sprawl, often founded on speculation and criminal activity rather than actual need. Granada has more than 40 000 empty properties within its urban area yet the construction boom continues, benefiting only those with vested interests. Your project plans a further 3 200 homes, abundant commercial premises, tourist attractions and two nine hole golf courses. Yet an 18 hole golf course and associated urbanization has only just been completed in nearby Otura (3km from Dílar) and another at Las Gabias (7km). Development of this type and scale has already destroyed much of the Mediterranean coast.
Everyday, local newspapers report on the corruption between speculators, the construction industry and local politicians. Already the newspapers have reported cases of this in relation to your project. Furthermore, last month, members of our group and other individuals were illegally denied proper public access to the plans and documents that were available for public inspection (please refer to the accompanying photocopy). The Guardia Civil has filed the charges.
The original team of architects have recently resigned, due to the serious legal problems that have arisen.
We believe that your international prestige as an architect concerned with environmental issues will be severely damaged should you continue to give credence to these plans. Water, air, soil, noise and light pollution (we enjoy seeing stars in the sky here), the loss of natural habitats and a dramatic demographic change are not acceptable in any project that proposes to be environmentally sustainable.
The "Plan Ordenacion Intermunicipal de Dílar-Gójar" states that the project will increase the local population by 300per cent and the consumption of water will increase by 800per cent. The system of recycling water for the golf course also raises major concerns, reflected in our allegations. Parking for over 4 000 visitor journeys per day is planned while the new local residents will add at least another 1000 car journeys. New motorway sections and major roads will serve them. More flights are anticipated to Granada Airport in Santa Fe. How ironic it is that you are due to receive the Pritzker Prize for Architecture on 4th June, the day before World Environment Day!
The climate is changing; precipitation is decreasing. "El Parque Tematica" and its associated developments are neither sustainable nor necessary. To loose more of its natural resources in exchange for more bricks, cement and asphalt is not the type of progress that the area needs. The local population has never been properly consulted and is still not aware of the impact of these plans. This is now changing. Our group and many others will continue to inform people at local, national and international level and use all legal means possible to ensure that Dílar remains true to its motto “Tan cerca y tan diferente” / “So near yet so different.”
In April 1990, citizens and friends of Dílar successfully defended the village as the machines rolled in and the riot police threatened. This was to stop an urbanization of similar proportions being built above Dílar and along the river. As a result, Dílar is regarded as a "miracle" to have resisted the urban sprawl. Those with the experience of 1990 and hundreds of others more will continue to resist.
Thank you for taking time to read our letter. Please could you take the time to consider our letter with your partners? We look forward to your reply.
Yours truly,
ESCAPATE Dílar-Gójar
Especulación Stop Ciudadan@sAnti Parque Temático en Dílar y Gójar
(Stop Speculation, Citizens Against the Thematic Park in Dílar and Gójar)
escapatedilargojar@yahoo.es
posted by escapate at
5:19 p. m.
