The hell of the neighbors of the unfinished project in Punta Xinxó

The residents of Punta Xinxó, in Cala de Bou, are fed up with the problems caused by the unfinished block in their neighborhood. In addition to the urban anomaly and the visual disturbance it creates, there is the problem of having to deal with the fact that this area has become a shanty town, where more and more people are flocking to every day. While Periódico de Ibiza y Formentera reported yesterday that more and more people are flocking to the building to spend the summer months, this Sunday a local resident reported new arrivals of people setting up tents with the intention of settling in for a period of months.

The reason for this discontent is, above all, the ongoing problems. It was in 2010 when the developer and owner of the land, Cala Xinxó S.L., part of the Acintur Mediterráneo group, halted construction work on the site, already causing problems for the local residents. With the construction work halted, everything was abandoned, leading to theft and looting of the building and offices. "I called the company to report the thefts, and they responded rudely, telling me it was their business and that I wouldn't interfere," explains Mario, one of the neighbors.

In addition, there's the environmental issue. One of the neighbors, a diving enthusiast, claims that since the construction, a lot of debris has been dumped into the sea, which he could see during his dives, in addition to other spills.

Furthermore, the cranes remained on site for nearly a decade, which on very windy days became a source of concern for the surrounding neighbors.

Not to mention, of course, all the problems already mentioned in this newspaper the day before regarding the large amount of waste accumulating on the site, causing odors and the proliferation of rodents such as rats in the area, in addition to the feeling of insecurity and violation of privacy for the neighbors.

One of the residents most involved in denouncing the situation explains that "the land was put up for auction due to non-payments, but the owner of the land appealed this ruling." The land has had a long history. Back in 2018, the then-city planning councilor and later mayor of the municipality, Ángel Luis Guerrero, gave the developer two months to resume construction or, failing that, a new procedure would be initiated to void the license. However, this was never declared, arguing that the project was precisely in that legal framework.

Two years later, and under the joint government of the Socialist Party and Unidas Podemos, then-councilor Guadalupe Nauda considered the possibility of creating Social Housing. A measure that would place the building under the protection of the Balearic Government for housing construction and which, according to Nauda, ​​"would avoid the impact of constructing new buildings by recovering half-finished structures."

However, this project never came to fruition and in 2022, with the Popular Party now in power in the municipality of Sant Josep, on April 5 it was approved to "initiate the process of expiry of the unfinished work of Punta Xinxó, which for years has been an urban planning anomaly affecting the Cala de Bou area," the City Council stated.

At the time, the mayor of the municipality, Vicent Roig, stated that "the City Council's intention is to clarify the situation of this complex, which is currently in a deplorable state, posing a source of insecurity, unhealthiness, and harmful effects on the surrounding area."

Regarding this new wave of complaints from Punta Xinxó residents, Roig responded to questions posed by Periódico de Ibiza y Formentera.

First, he stated that since it is a private building, "the City Council has repeatedly reported the owner's neglect of the building."

In this regard, he noted that the police have visited the area on several occasions but, precisely because of its private nature, they cannot enter without authorization or a specific complaint.

Regarding complaints, they assert that they have no evidence of any having been filed by the owner regarding the occupation of the site. However, the City Council has filed a complaint regarding the accumulation of waste. Regarding the expiration of the license, the mayor stated that "we are continuing with the administrative procedures to expire the license and are in the process of resolving the allegations of the owner and other interested parties".