The Benimaclet Neighborhood Association regrets “the inhibition” of the municipal governments, previous and current, for not having appealed the ruling of the Superior Court of Justice of the Valencian Community that ruled in favor of processing the PAI promoted by the promoter Metrovacesa.
Likewise, it announces, in a statement that they are going to claim the documentation that served the promoter to raise their appeal in 2021 and the corresponding ruling “in exercise of the right to information that assists them as a neighborhood entity registered in the Registry of Associations of the City Council de València, and the principle of transparency in municipal management, which must be publicly accessible”.
The PAI promoted by the promoter Metrovacesa in the Benimaclet neighborhood will continue, after the City Council has decided not to file an appeal against the ruling of the Superior Court of Justice of the Valencian Community that ruled in favor of its processing.
The Association emphasizes that “it has been carrying out its duties in recent years with alternative proposals prepared from neighborhood participation and with the collaboration of urban planning, architecture, and landscaping professionals: Ideas Contest (2015), Benimaclet es Futur (2017 ), and Benimaclet, porta a l*Horta (2020)”.
Proposals, such as those advanced in the Ideas Competition, and which emphasize that they are “endorsed by the two public universities of the city, by numerous citizen entities, and by the interventions and statements made by political parties with municipal representation, including the PP , as was revealed in its day in the presentation of the works at the Benimaclet Musical Instruction Center, at the University of Valencia, the Polytechnic University, and at La Nau of the University”.
“We are supported, therefore, by these participatory processes, and we are going to continue defending our position. On the contrary, Metrovacesa’s claim is not supported by any participatory process, despite the fact that current urban planning regulations require it,” he stated. .
In this sense, they claim that what comes to be called Citizen Participation “does not remain a mere electoral campaign phrase, it means taking into account the observations of the neighbors in the development of urban projects that may affect the present and future of their neighborhoods and cities”.
For this reason, he emphasizes that municipal corporations must be “consistent” and “reject the old conception that urban planning projects (PAI) are only a matter for two – municipal government and real estate developer – because a third party is missing: neighborhood and social entities organized.
Furthermore, they indicate that after the arrival of the new municipal government, the first action upon returning from the holidays was to request an interview with the mayor and/or the Urban Planning Councilor, to collaborate in this avenue of participation with the aim of achieving a urban project in Benimaclet that “avoids easy speculation and openly bets on a necessary city-orchard transition.”
From the PSPV and Compromís, they criticized the “resignation” to appeal of the Consistory led by María José Català (PP), while from the Government team they pointed out that the judicial ruling evidences “the poor work of the PSOE in the urban planning of the city.” and they affirm that “now that there is legal certainty”, they are going to work to introduce improvements.
