Do we want more golf courses on the Islands?

The full council meeting of the Consell de Mallorca decided last Monday, March 4, not to go against the construction of golf courses on Mallorca. The initiative arose from the motion presented by the Partido Popular, in which it was proposed that the Full Council Meeting should decide in favour of the construction of new golf courses, always according to the Law of Golf Courses. Unió Mallorquina presented an ammendment to the Partido Popular's motion, that was finally passed by the representatives of all the political parties except the Esquerra Unida-Els Verds (United Left-Greens), according to which the institution decides not to pronounce against the construction of golf courses as a quality complementary tourist offer to increase offseason tourism. In principle, the approved proposal gives carte blanche to new golf courses on Mallorca, as long as these do not imply the construction of new tourist establishments.

Both the president of the Govern de les Illes Balears, Francesc Antich, and the councillor for Tourism, Celestí Alomar, had been stating recently their favourable position to the construction of more golf courses on the islands as long as these did not incorporate complementary accommodation. At the same time, the business association CAEB, with the presentation of a study on the high profitability from golf tourism, and the Cámara de Comercio de Mallorca, Eivissa y Formentera, who last year presented a detailed report on the impact of golf courses on the Balearics, also pronounced in favour of the construction of more golf courses on the Balearics to diversify and offseason the tourist offer.

The GOB-Mallorca has expressed in a press release their disappointment for the nonfulfilment of the electoral commitment signed by the Pacte de Progrés, consisting in decreeing a moratorium on golf courses, while a Sectorial General Plan for golf courses was being created. According to the GOB, the proposal to construct more golf courses responds to definite interests, projects and places, not to the improvement in the tourist offer, and they insist on the need to cancel the Law of Golf Courses, the norm that regulates the steps for these installations on rustic land and gives the right to have complementary hotels. The ecologists consider that the construction of golf courses and the complementary residential installations represents a transformation and obvious degradation of the rural landscape, a high water consumption and the destruction of natural areas.

Recently, the mayor of Eivissa, Xico Tarrés, the vicepresident of the Eivissa and Formentera Insular Council, Vicent Tur Torres and the councillor of Tourism for the insular institution, Josep Marí Ribas, also showed their approval of the creation of more golf courses. Also, the president of the Eivissa and Formentera Council, Pilar Costa, has said that she is not against the creation of more golf courses on Eivissa once the Territorial Plan for Eivissa and Formentera has been approved, the condition that comes from the Ley de moratoria de construcción y ampliación de campos de golf en las islas Pitiusas, approved in 2000 by the Balearic Parliament. These declarations contrast with the motion presented by Joan Buades and approved last February by the Full Council Meeting for Eivissa and Formentera whereby the Territorial Plan under construction discards the possibility of authorising more golf courses on the island, although it must be born in mind that this proposal had only one vote in favour and 12 abstentions.

With respect to Menorca, the subject of the golf courses is also accompanied by controversy and is causing problems to the creation of the Insular Territorial Plan. Apparently the government of the Consell Insular de Menorca is divided amongst the members of the PSIB-PSOE, who think that new golf courses without complementary hotels should be authorised, and the representatives of the political groups EM-IU y PSM who are contrary for environment reasons.

Currently there are 21 golf courses on the Balearic Islands. Formentera has none. Eivissa has two: the Club de Golf Ibiza and the Club de Golf Roca Llisa, one next to the other in the municipality of Santa Eulària des Riu. Menorca only has one: the Club de Golf Son Parc, in the municipality of es Mercadal. Mallorca has 18 golf courses: Golf de Poniente, Real Golf de Bendinat, Golf Santa Ponça I, Golf Santa Ponça II and Golf Santa Ponça III, in the municipality of Calvià; Son Vida Golf and Son Muntaner Golf, in the municipality of Palma; Canyamel Golf and Capdepera Golf , in the municipality of Capdepera; Son Antem Este and Son Antem Oeste, in Llucmajor; Pula Golf and Club Golf Son Servera, in Son Servera; Golf Pollença in Pollença; Golf Son Termens in Bunyola; Club de Golf Vall d'Or in S'Horta (Felanitx); Golf de Andratx in Camp de Mar (Andratx) and Golf de La Reserva Rotana, in Manacor.

All these golf courses form part of the Federació Balear de Golf, except the Golf de la Reserva Rotana.

Moreover there is the new Aucanada golf course under construction, in Alcúdia, that will open this year.

To know the opinion of residents and visitors of Mallorca, Menorca, Eivissa and Formentera about this subject, BalearWeb has initiated a new debate with the question Do we want more golf courses on the Islands? Give an opinion, vote!!

Photo © Archive BalearWeb: "Golf de Andratx" in Camp de Mar

Date of publication: 06/03/2002

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