It may not yet be perceived on the street, but this winter will be long and very hard. The urban situation in Denia has reached an extremely dangerous point and it is only a matter of months, maybe less, that we reach an economic collapse point similar to that of the cursed triennium, 2011 / 2012 / 2013. Maybe worse.
Given the latest developments in urban planning and the decisions taken by the Government Team of Denia we have been left without planning, in an exceptional situation. At this time, the only possible solution is to accelerate all the procedures of the new RUT and PGE, to the maximum. Because every passing day is one step closer to the abyss.
Vamos a explicar una cosa, de nuevo. (Si tiene Vd. la más mínima idea de cómo funciona la economía local, salte este párrafo y vaya al siguiente.) Una familia ahorra para comprarse una pequeña parcela en la que levantar la casita de sus sueños. Para ello contratará a una serie de profesionales: arquitectos, albañiles, fontaneros, etc. A su vez, estos necesitarán proveedores, desde la papelería donde compran los bolígrafos hasta el almacén de materiales de construcción. Además, irán a tiendas a por ropa nueva, a restaurantes, a cambiarse el coche… En estos otros establecimientos, como las cosas les irán mejor, puede que contraten a más personas, o que puedan aumentar también sus gastos de ocio. Es posible que haya quien se anime y abra su propio negocio. Y así, cada uno de nosotros forma parte de esta cadena. Si se quiebra un eslabón, se rompe la cadena entera. Pues bien: ese eslabón ya se ha roto. Hemos quebrado la cadena entera.
Of all this that we are all over, we have warned on numerous occasions, as active members that we are of the Consell de Urbanisme, an organism created with good intentions, but whose usefulness we begin to doubt. At the moment we are not clear if the urban decisions in Dénia are improvised on the march or they are done conscientiously, and we do not know which of the two options is worse.
There will be those who still think it will not affect you. Do not be so sure. There are already many professionals who are leaving to work to other populations, even outside the region. We have just had a good summer, but tourists will not be back until next year because we have not yet been able to get any seasonal. So when you get hit to change the roof (affects the structure, then it is major work) or to open a store watches (which requires activity license), you know that is why. Or when you are denied mortgage at the bank because the house you want to buy is out of order (there is no plan, remember?). Or when you get tired of taking curricula and hearing that there is no work. This is why. For this situation we are in.
At the moment we only see two realistic scenarios in the short and medium term: either total inactivity, or work without licenses, from illegality. Both cases are bad and in any of them also the municipal revenues will suffer.
In the Business Circle of the Marina Alta we are terribly worried. Our federation includes entrepreneurs and self-employed people from all possible economic sectors. Yes, there are promoters and builders, but there are also merchants, hoteliers, electricians, auto shops .. We are a city of services.
That is why we have decided to seek all possible help, because Denia is in need. We will address a letter with our concerns and proposals to the mayor of Denia, Vicent Grimalt; to the Minister of Housing, Public Works and Territory Planning, María José Salvador; to the President of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig; and the Síndic de Greuges, José Cholbi. And after this letter, there will be more things. We are going to do everything in our power to get out of this situation, because as our president rightly said, Sonja Dietz, at the last meeting of the Board of Directors «este no es un problema que afecte sólo a las empresas que se dedican a la construcción, es un problema que nos afecta a todos».
Perhaps what they have to do is start to change the economic model. You can not live alone from construction and services. The best example of why is the situation that you explain. Within your analysis you forget, and that you are entrepreneurs, that for a family to save money, they have to have a job with a decent salary and contract and that work has to come from a sector other than construction and services , only then is the circle complete. To stimulate other sectors it is necessary to support entrepreneurs' initiatives by the administrations not to ignore them and to ignore them as they usually do. In Balearia are doing some very nice talks about which you could go. They sell it like the Panacea.