Hoteliers in Pollensa have denounced the paralysis of renovation work that they consider to be intentional and driven by town hall "ideological" criteria rather than technical ones. The standstill, it is claimed, leaves at least eight million euros of investment up in the air. The town hall denies the allegations.
The hoteliers say that where licences were not obtained before 6 December, there can now be no exemption from payment for places and ratios for work priced at more than 50% of the cadastral value. This adds difficulties in undertaking renovation of hotel stock that is among the oldest in Majorca and implies financial damage. There are at least eight hotels affected, says the local association. The cost of each new place is 4,300 euros.
Carmen Zierer, president of the Pollensa hoteliers, says that there have been five meetings with mayor Miquel Àngel March and the councillor for urban planning, Bartomeu Cifre, at which concern has been expressed regarding the "partisan" nature of the paralysis. "All we have received by way of response has been silence."
The best-known case of renovation and development is the Hotel Formentor, although this is complicated by issues related to planning regulations in the area. Other cases for comprehensive renovation include the Miramar in Puerto Pollensa, Son Sant Jordi in Pollensa, and the hotels Molins and Cala San Vicente. Zierer states that the "ideological" stopping of work has never previously been done in such a way. It is understood that in certain cases, work has been undertaken without permits having been obtained.
Cifre flatly denies all this and has expressed surprise at hotelier criticism of which he had been unaware.