Administrative simplification and complementary activities in the Tramuntana mountain range: this is what the new law will be like

PalmThe future law of the Tramuntana mountain range The draft legislation, currently in the public consultation phase, will prioritize administrative simplification "to prevent protection from becoming an obstacle to land management" and will allow "the development of complementary activities compatible with conservation." This was announced by the island council's governing team at the presentation of the draft legislation on Wednesday. The president of the Council of Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, explained that the text "avoids prohibitions and is based on collaboration, administrative simplification, and sustainable economic development."

Furthermore, How the ARA Baleares progressedThe proposed law will allow the legalization of irregular constructions in this emblematic area. The bill, which will reach Parliament in the next session, includes a series of articles that will regulate the procedures for illegal dwellings to benefit from a kind of amnesty, since they were unable to take advantage of the one already approved by the PP and Vox parties in the Chamber. The Serra de Tramuntana mountain range has significant protected status, and the body of urban planning regulations—primarily the Balearic Islands Urban Planning Law (LUIB)—makes it very difficult for these irregular buildings to benefit from the measures approved so far. According to sources familiar with the matter consulted by ARA Baleares, "There are many porches in the Sóller valley that have no possibility of becoming legal. This means that, under current regulations, they cannot even apply for a permit to repair their roofs. There is considerable political interest in resolving this," they point out.

The law will expand the current scope of protection to include properties and areas historically linked to the region that were left out of the initial designation made by UNESCO when it declared the area a World Heritage Site. Furthermore, it establishes a heritage impact assessment process for any action that affects the values ​​that define the cultural landscape. The Serra de Tramuntana Consortium—the sole management authority for the cultural landscape—will develop a system of indicators to evaluate the impact of visitors and determine the territory's carrying capacity. This body will have its own staff and budget and will oversee aspects related to the management of cultural and territorial heritage, as well as economic initiatives linked to local products and the land. The 18 municipalities that comprise the Serra de Tramuntana, the regional ministries of Economy and Agriculture, and departments of the Consell (Island Council) will participate. The regulation will simplify procedures for actions related to agricultural holdings, such as the reconstruction of dry stone walls and the recovery of abandoned crops. Improvements to buildings linked to agricultural activity and traditional constructions will also be permitted, "always with a municipal license, respecting environmental regulations and without increasing their volume or height, to guarantee their conservation and functionality." To ensure the economic viability of farms and prevent their abandonment, the law will allow the development of complementary activities. The text incorporates measures to mitigate light and noise pollution. Recreational quad biking on unpaved roads is prohibited, and the possibility of limiting the number of annual activities is considered to ensure compatibility with the conservation of the land and the quality of life of residents. The Serra de Tramuntana Consortium will be able to restrict access to certain areas in cases of overcrowding, and there will be a system of penalties, with fines that could reach one million euros in the most serious cases, such as causing forest fires, causing serious damage to heritage sites, and unauthorized activities.

"Three years late"

The spokesperson for the PSIB (Socialist Party of the Balearic Islands) in the Council of Mallorca, Catalina Cladera, criticized the fact that the draft bill for the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range is "three years late" and questioned whether it truly protects the Serra's UNESCO World Heritage status. After learning the general outlines of the legislation, Cladera lamented its "delay," emphasizing that if the text her group promoted in 2023 had been approved, the law would already be in effect. The Council plenary session must approve the draft bill, which will then be processed as a bill in the Balearic Parliament. For this reason, Cladera expressed doubt that the law will come into force during this legislative term. "If it doesn't, it will be four years lost," she said. Regarding the content of the legislation, the Socialist criticized the opposition for not clarifying the doubts surrounding the agreement between the PP (People's Party) and Vox. "We're asking what's behind the simplification of procedures in the Serra de Tramuntana that they're now announcing, and above all, what's behind the agreement with Vox," Cladera stated, accusing the far right of supporting the over-tourism of the Serra and of denying climate change.