The residents of Urb de Monte Pego, in the Denia, Rafol and Pego municipalities of the Costa Blanca, have finally had enough and are fighting back hard!!
After many years of legal argument and several court cases between Town Halls and the developers – the Porsellanes family – over whether the urbanisation was ever completed to the required standard, there is still no resolution, and no progress in the urbanisation becoming public.
During all this time, although residents have paid their Sumas for the 1,300 homes, they received no basic services from the Town Halls responsible for them. Services that others take for granted such as street lighting, decent safe roads, useable pavements and a sewerage system fit for purpose. As one resident put it “in places it looks like third world here”
A year ago, residents got together to form an Association called Pro-Monte Pego, with the aims of achieving public status, having basic services provided and ending the discrimination.
Negotiations began with the Town Halls and proved fruitful with Rafol and Denia, in creating changes. But with Pego Town Hall, despite receiving promises of great change from Mayor Enrique Moll, all that has been delivered are a few white lines painted on the roads.
In July this year, frustrated by this now familiar scenario of no progress and lost enthusiasm, Pro-Monte Pego felt the only option was to inform both the “Sindic de Greuges” (Public Defender) in Valencia, and the Committee for Petitions to the European Parliament. Whilst the Parliamentary Committee have acknowledged the petition but not yet investigated, the Public Defender has begun an immediate investigation of the Town Halls.
Rafol responded immediately and positively. Denia has asked for more time to consider it’s reply but is co-operating fully. From Pego there has been nothing: despite repeated requests.
Interestingly, at a meeting in October between Pro Monte Pego and Snr. Moll, all previous promises were withdrawn by the Mayor, who blamed the Town Hall Lawyers for blocking any further work on Monte Pego.
Now, however, in the last few days, there has been a sudden change of heart by Pego Town Hall who have said they will start clearing grass, weeds and bushes from the roadsides. Perhaps the investigation by the Public Defender has made the lawyers rethink?
While this news is welcome, it is merely a small start to a very large project, and Pego Town Hall is clearly very good at making promises then not delivering on them. Only time will tell.
Meanwhile the investigation continues and the homeowners, whose patience is exhausted, have their own views on this. “Great news! we only want what is rightfully ours. The urbanisation is in such a terrible state that people don’t want to buy houses here”.
Snr Vicent Portes Alemany, founder of Pro-Monte Pego said “People cannot be treated like this; no more excuses and delay because it’s a matter of safety. The roads are dangerous – does someone have to be killed before things change? No more excuses.”
After years of being between a rock and a hard place those caught in the middle of this intractable dispute are fighting back – hard.
