Elche Registers 39 Photovoltaic Projects with Regional Approval

The modification of Elche's General Urban Planning Plan aims to limit the impact of solar plants in the Camp d'Elx area.

Generic image of a photovoltaic plant in a Valencian rural landscape.
IA

Generic image of a photovoltaic plant in a Valencian rural landscape.

The Generalitat Valenciana has issued a favorable report for the modification of Elche's General Urban Planning Plan (PGOU), which includes 39 photovoltaic projects in Camp d'Elx, with ten already holding municipal licenses.

The regional bulletin recently published the favorable environmental and territorial strategic report (Iate) for the modification of Elche's PGOU. This modification seeks to integrate photovoltaic projects and has already been initially approved by the City Council, but requires further regional consultation. Despite incorporating corrections and requirements from the Valencian administration, the process continues.
According to the Consell's file, 39 photovoltaic initiatives have been projected in Camp d'Elx. Although not all will ultimately be installed, the majority already have regional approval. The final decision of the companies is crucial, as some withdraw during the process. Currently, a dozen projects already have municipal building permits, the final step for construction.
The current Consell's Plan Simplifica has accelerated administrative procedures for many of these initiatives, which had been in progress for years. This has led to a steady flow of permits and authorizations. The governing team hopes that once the modification of the General Plan comes into force, new projects will be significantly limited.
The municipal area of Elche, with extensive undeveloped land, will always offer sites that meet the requirements for solar plant installation. The City Council cannot refuse if everything is in order. According to municipal data, of the ten building permits granted to date, only five plants are built and two are operational. Licenses have been granted in locations such as Perleta, Valverde, Jubalcoi, Les Salades, and Asprella.
The General Directorate of Urban Planning has registered 27 projects with prior administrative authorization, awaiting municipal building permits. Additionally, there are two projects with prior state administrative authorization, such as El Secarral and Lucinala, which has requested a Declaration of Public Utility (DUP) from the Ministry for land expropriation if no agreement is reached with landowners.
The document itself indicates that the PGOU modification is still in the public consultation phase, despite provisional approval and regional endorsement. The speed and approval of projects arriving via the Plan Simplifica, once the General Plan modification is in force, remain to be seen.