Axarquía politicians to consider alternatives for controversial electricity substation

The controversial construction of a new electricity substation in the Torrox Park residential area on the eastern stretch of the Costa del Sol, close to three schools and thousands of homes, has been the focus of protests by local residents since work started in July.

The residents have held three demonstrations - one in August, September and the latest was on Monday 16 October – to demand that the town hall looks for an alternative location for the project, which politicians say is vital to guarantee supply to new residential areas and avoid power cuts.

For this reason Torrox town hall agreed during an extraordinary meeting on Monday 16 October, convened specifically to talk about the controversial project, to create a working group to seek alternatives to the current site.

However, the project was, according to the town hall, "contemplated in the 1996 General Urban Development Plan which was authorised by an agreement signed in April 2005 by the then mayor, Francisco Muñoz".

Earlier this month another council meeting was held to discuss the termination of the contract for the project during which councillor José Manuel Fernández presented a legal report which concludes that revoking the licence "could give rise to the exercise of criminal action" by Endesa.

"We are with the residents and we do not want that location either, but all this is the result of a series of steps that have been taken over the years, since the town hall made this commitment by signing the agreement in 2005 and in 2008 the licence was granted and the procedures for the development of the action project began", said Fernández.

According to the town hall, the report adds revoking the licence "would give the possible injured party the right to claim the damages and harm caused [and] could constitute a crime under article 404 of the Penal Code, since the passing of the agreement supposes an absolute incompatibility with the legal system and with the principles that inspire it".

The proposal approved on Monday contemplates a working group composed of technical staff, politicians and representatives of affected groups, "which has all the information with maximum transparency" and to demand that the competent company "bury the medium and high voltage lines that pass through the surroundings of the educational centres".

Fernández has said that contact has already been made with Endesa and that a meeting has been called between both parties to address the issue next week.