Elx Local Police has closed a second vehicle parking lot located in the hamlet of Torrellano Alto, near Alicante-Elche-Miguel Hernández airport, which was operating without an opening license, covered more than 5,000 square meters and had capacity for more than 3,500 vehicles.
The action, carried out this Tuesday at 9 p.m., is part of the administrative procedure to prevent the establishment and expansion of new parking lots while the modification of the General Urban Planning Plan, which will regulate this activity in the vicinity of the Alicante airfield, is being processed, according to municipal sources.
The mayor, Pablo Ruz, assures that “it is a regulated procedure, with all administrative and legal guarantees, which does not respond to any whim, but to compliance with legality.” He also stressed that the managing company requested urgent precautionary measures from the court to prevent the closure, a request that has been dismissed.
The managing company requested urgent precautionary measures from the court to prevent the closure, a request that has been dismissed
In the judicial order, the magistrate considers that the agreement adopted by the Local Government Board on April 23 “is a measure of general scope that does not contemplate exceptions, privileges or singular treatments” and adds that the company “cannot invoke economic damages when it expanded its activity after said agreement and with full knowledge of its content.” Likewise, the resolution concludes that the municipal criterion “is public, known and consistent with the objectives pursued.”
The closed parking lot lacked a license to carry out the activity and, according to inspections carried out by the Local Police and municipal technical services, had progressively expanded its surface area to occupy nine plots. The administrative file has included inspections, drawing up of minutes, requirements, hearing procedure, presentation and dismissal of allegations, closure decree and resolution of the appeal filed by the company.
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Around 3,650 vehicles remain inside the facility, although their owners will be able to remove them when requested through a protocol established between the Local Police and the managing company. Each exit will have police escort to ensure compliance with the closure.
Ruz recalled that this is the second parking lot closed in recent weeks, which means that action has already been taken on facilities with more than 4,500 vehicles. In addition, he announced that there are two other very advanced files that could be executed in the coming weeks, as they are parking lots that started their activity after the municipal agreement last April.
There are two other very advanced files that could be executed in the coming weeks
In addition, the City Council continues with the review of the administrative situation of the more than 110 parking lots identified in the municipality. To date, around 85 inspections have been carried out and the situation of 45 facilities prior to the modification of the PGOU and another 30 that have provisional licenses granted in 2005 is being analyzed.
The mayor insisted that the municipal objective “is not to close for the sake of closing, but to ensure that all activities comply with regulations under equal conditions,” and warned that the City Council will continue to act “with firmness, legal certainty and full respect for legal procedures” to put an end to the proliferation of illegal parking lots in the municipality.
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