Five star hotel complex ear-marked for south east Mallorca

Spanish hotel chain, Blau Hotels & Resorts, is planning to build a large hotel complex in the sleepy beach resort of Sa Rapita, in the south east of Mallorca. Local opinion is divided on the construction, as supporters of the development clash with environmentalists keen to preserve the natural beauty of the area.

Local businesses and politicians are supportive of the project, saying that it will bring 850 jobs to the area during the construction phase, followed by 300 jobs once the hotel resort opens. The cost of the build is estimated to be €120 million. The complex will be built on a disused dairy farm at Son Duri, 150 metres from the sea. The promotors are keen to stress the eco-friendliness of the project, saying that the resort will be sympathetically designed to blend into the natural background.

The hotel will have 1250 beds and a sports centre spread out over a 20 hectare site.

Opposition to the development includes the environmental agency GOB, who have expressed concerns that the coast and beaches of Es Trenc will be affected. Es Trenc is widely acknowledged as being one of Mallorca's most beautiful unspolit beaches, and has a unique ecosystem with sand dunes that back on to salt flats.