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Thousands protest to save unspoilt beach in Mallorca
Plans to build a hotel on sa Rapita prove unpopular
Thousands of people descended on Sa Rapita yesterday to protest against plans to build a new luxury hotel and nine hole golf course. The proposed development would lie just 150 metres behind this natural and unspoilt beach on the south coast of Mallorca.
Sa Rapita lies next to the more famous beach of Es Trenc. Both beaches have remained undisturbed by tourism and development, making it one of the few coastal areas in Majorca where members of the public can enjoy the natural environment.
The protest was organised by the environmental group GOB, Friends of the Earth & local protest group 'Save Sa Rapita'. They say that the construction of the hotel would impact not only the nature and beauty of sa Rapita but would also deplete water reserves in the aquifers, causing long term damage to the area. The organisers claim that some 15,000 people joined the protest, three times more that the number reported by the local police.
The local council in Campos has defended it's decision to approve plans for the hotel, saying that the construction will create many jobs which are badly needed in the local area. The hotel has been proposed by local Mallorcan construction companies Jaime Biblioni & Enrique Hernandis in conjunction with hotel chain Blau Hotels.
The development involves a €120 million investment that will employ 1200 workers during the construction phase and 300 people once the hotel is completed. The finished complex will have consumed 20 hectares of land and will be able to accommodate 1200 guests.
To find out more about Majorca's beaches, take a look at our Guide to Mallorca's Beaches.
