WRITTEN QUESTION E-0032/98 by María Sornosa Martínez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (29 January 1998)

Subject: Construction of a secondary electric power station in the green belt area of La Punta (Valencia)

The city council of Valencia has authorized the construction of a secondary electric power station on agricultural land forming part of the green belt in the district of La Punta, despite the objections submitted by dozens of community organizations which are totally opposed to the project.

The authorization by the city council has to be supported by a document from the regional environmental authorities, which has still not been issued. However, there have been attempts to begin work illegally.

The existence of the agricultural area of La Punta, located to the south of the river Turia, is now under threat. It has been affected by port developments and polluting industrial activities, by the construction of the El Saler motorway and new rail lines, by the present project for a secondary electric power station, and by plans for the further expansion of port services.

1. Does the Commission believe that there should be a Community policy for regional planning aimed at preserving the environment from speculative threats?

2. What plans exist in this connection?

3. To what extent can the Commission intervene to prevent the gradual destruction of the environment by speculative developments, as in the case of La Punta?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (13 March 1998)

The Honourable Member is raising a matter that is covered by national law. Indeed, the assignment of certain land to uses not in line with the regulations in force, or the granting of authorisations (town-planning permits) which appear not to meet the requirements in force form part of a set of problems to which the Commission is unable to respond unless this involves an infringement of Directive 85/337/EC on the assessment of the effects of projects on the environment ((OJ L 175, 5.7.1985. )), which does not seem to be the case described by the Honourable Member.

However, it would be important to remind the Honourable Member that intergovernmental work on regional planning is currently in progress: the preparation of the Community Land Development Scheme (SDEC) which is currently under discussion within Parliament as part of the drafting of the Novo Berlenguer report.

The value added by the SDEC concerns, in particular, the development of Community territory as a function of long-term approaches and options deriving from the following three aims: economic and social cohesion, sustainable development, and balanced competitiveness throughout Europe. The novelty lies in the fact that these three aims are being pursued jointly, and therefore also take account of their interactions.

The action taken by Europe on regional planning thus supports the constant quest for a balance between the various interests in the various areas, and for that purpose it indirectly promotes the settling of the differences mentioned by the Honourable Member. The Honourable Member will thus understand that, for the moment, the action in progress does not provide for any specific instruments intended to avoid the destruction of certain areas by speculative real-estate activities.