The history of the urbanisation of Planas del Rey is marked by contradictory decisions and manoeuvres that have plunged residents into uncertainty. One of the most revealing documents of this administrative mess dates back to April 12, 1988.
That day, during a plenary session, the Town Hall of Pratdip officially approved the creation of the Urban Conservation Entity (EUCC) of Planas del Rey. An organisation that, at the time, was supposed to compensate for the developer’s shortcomings and provisionally manage the urbanisation.
An entity validated by the Town Hall itself
The official certificate, signed by the Town Hall’s secretary, Ms Gloria Sabaté, leaves no doubt. The Town Hall:
- Approved the notarial deed of creation of the EUCC, signed on July 28, 1987, before the notary Inmaculada Nieto Aldea.
- Imposed a clear condition: within a maximum period of two years, the EUCC had to organise the official transfer of infrastructures and communal areas to the municipality, as required by the Urban Planning Law.
In short, already at that time, the Town Hall acknowledged that, eventually, it had to integrate roads, utility networks, green spaces, and other public facilities into the municipal domain.
The EUCC: a convenient shield for the Town Hall
Instead of ending the provisional arrangement and honouring its commitments, the Town Hall of Pratdip allowed the EUCC to persist… and it suited them well.
As long as the EUCC existed, the Town Hall could shirk its responsibilities, letting this entity act as an administrative shield, while avoiding taking full charge of the management and maintenance of the urbanisation.
A dissolution imposed by the courts, thanks to SOS Planas
Faced with this unsustainable situation, it was the property owners themselves, grouped within the Les Planes del Rei Neighbourhood Association (SOS Planas), who finally took action.
After several years of legal proceedings, their efforts resulted in the official dissolution of the EUCC on August 21, 2016, putting an end to this façade system.
A document that is inconvenient today
This official document from 1988 proves that the Town Hall of Pratdip itself validated the creation of the EUCC, with the ultimate goal of receiving the infrastructures as municipal property.
By refusing today to acknowledge its obligations, the Town Hall is trying to make its own decisions forgotten. But the archives, they do not lie.
