Junta tries to legalise its own heliport … which first opened 18 years ago

The Junta is trying to legalise an emergency services heliport located in the mountains behind Serón (above Almeria) which has, it appears, been operating for 18 years without a license.

(What follows is also an example of why the Spanish government uses extra large business cards).

The heliport opened in 1995 to much fanfare and is used as a base for fire fighting helicopters and mountain rescue. However, nobody bothered to get a licence for it. It’s only now, after a rebuke from the Estatal de Seguridad Aérea (AESA) that they’ve applied for one.

But first, they need to get approval from the following bodies, none of which, according to Noticias de Almeria, have bothered to reply since 1995. It’s also a study in amazingly large government names.

The agency trying to get the license is called la Dirección General de Gestión del Medio Natural de la Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca y Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía.

The reason they’ve given for the delay is that the following agencies haven’t bothered to fill in the paperwork saying whether or not the heliport is compatible with the area:

  • Dirección General de Interior,
  • Emergencias y Protección Civil de la Consejería de Justicia e Interior de la Junta de Andalucía,
  • Dirección General de Gestión del Medio Natural de la Secretaría General de Medio Ambiente y Alimentación de la Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca y Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía
  • Dirección General de Espacios Naturales y Participación Ciudadana de la Secretaría General de Medio Ambiente y Alimentación de la Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca y Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía,
  • Dirección General de Prevención, Calidad Ambiental y Cambio Climático de la Secretaría General de Medio Ambiente y Alimentación de la Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca y Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía,
  • Dirección General de Prevención, Calidad Ambiental y Cambio Climático de la Secretaría General de Medio Ambiente y Alimentación de la Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca y Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía.
  • Dependencia del Área de Agricultura y Pesca de la Subdelegación del Gobierno en Almeria
  • Dirección General de Planificación y Gestión del Dominio Público Hidráulico de la Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca y Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía

Phew.

And the following coordinating bodies also has a say in the matter, and it’s name is a real dip doo whinger:

Coordinación de Zona de Andalucía/Extremadura de la Dirección General de Desarrollo Rural y Política Forestal de la Secretaría de Agricultura y Alimentación del Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente. They have to coordinate government local flights with Extremadura, which involves a whole raft of paperwork from that region, despite the fact it’s hundreds and hundreds of kilometres away, unlike Murcia, which is just across the province.

Even the sports council got in on the act, as it has to say whether or not the heliport will affect nearby sporting installations, so they’re waiting for the  Consejería de Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía to confirm a report issued by the Delegación Territorial de Educación, Cultura y Deporte de Almeria saying no, it’s miles from the towns’ sports field and nobody’s hat will be blown off by the rotors.

No wonder they couldn’t be arsed to get the paperwork together before opening. However, leaving aside the fact that you shouldn’t be operating an illegal heliport (does Almeria airport know about this when guiding the planes in?) it’s rather ironic really.

Maybe we should suggest AUAN applies for a demolition order?

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