Cós Nou. Planned access road now to be subjected to a declaration of impact on the environment

Cós Nou. Planned access road now to be subjected to a declaration of impact on the environment

C.M.W.Maó27/12/10 0:00
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Autoridad Portuaria de Balears (the Balearic Port Authority) aims to start work on the new Ferry Terminal in Maó and the access road to Cós Nou during the first half of 2011 as well as awarding the contract for the running of the new dry dock during the same period. The president of APB, Francesc Triay, commented that the projected work is "a fundamental piece in transforming the port of Maó".

Triay added that 12 million euros would be invested in the port of Maó in 2011. Six million will be spent on the access road to Cós Nou, replacing the streetlights on the Moll de Llevant, starting work on the Ferry Terminal and preparing the ground for car parking and the embarkation area and dredging the commercial dock. A provisional six million euros has been earmarked for purchasing land in Cala Figuera, once the old CLH depot has been dismantled, and for the plots of land at the end of the port which are currently in the process of compulsory purchase.

The President of APB foresees a drop in revenue of around 3 million euros next year owing to the reduction in port taxes levied in respect of boats, passengers, merchandise and sporting and leisure boats; in the latter case the reduction will be between 18% and 88%. In general, all the taxes will be lowered, except that applied to inter-island boats which will be increased by 2%. From the APB's viewpoint, this rise will be countered by a decrease of 28% on the tax charged on passengers on inter-island routes.

Alternatives to access road
Following an appeal by the ecological group GOB, the planned road giving access to Cós Nou will now be subjected to a "declaration of impact on the environment" by the Balearic Commission for the Environment, forcing the Port Authority to study alternative routes for the road which would have less environmental impact. The project for the road had already been awarded to a construction company, Antonio Gomila, before the Island Council reversed its original contention that the work would make no noticeable impact and to decide now that it would.