Antonio Sevilla, VOX member of the Andalusian Parliament, has asked the regional minister for Culture what measures she intends to take to guarantee the effective protection of the site against speculative interests
Antonio Sevilla, VOX member of parliament in Andalucía and spokesperson on the Culture Committee, has registered an oral question addressed to the regional minister for Culture about the situation of the Castillo de la Duquesa in Manilva and its archaeological surroundings, declared a Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC, Asset of Cultural Interest) in 2005, after it emerged that the Provincial Public Prosecutor’s Office in Málaga has opened proceedings over a possible offence against historic heritage.
The Málaga-born member of parliament stressed that «the Castillo de la Duquesa and its surroundings are one of the most valuable heritage sites in the province of Málaga. A BIC should be a symbol of protection and pride, and today it is in the news again for regrettable reasons».
According to a complaint filed by an association, geotechnical surveys and earthworks are said to have been carried out on plot L-1 of the El Hacho Partial Plan, where more than 140 luxury homes and a supposed archaeological museum are planned, without full excavation or express cultural authorisation. These works are recorded as authorised by the Junta itself under file IN250168, a circumstance that has led the Public Prosecutor’s Office to also investigate Manilva Town Hall and the regional Department for alleged permissiveness contrary to the Andalusian Historic Heritage Act.
“What is serious is not only the planned development, but that work in the surroundings of the BIC has been allowed without full archaeological safeguards”, Sevilla said.
Antonio Sevilla also recalled that Manilva’s governing team, “with the silence of the other parties”, vetoed a motion by VOX councillor Antonio Marín to legally shield BIC areas from any development attempt in the municipality.
https://youtu.be/oN0CUeWOvIU
