STV Chemicals

Following the recent statement, the chemicals comment relate to the pictures of the communities gardeners spraying throughout the resort.

Perhaps the Committee needs to satisfy itself that the chemicals are in keeping with good local practice and are not affecting the local wildlife.

We acknowledge IRM's and the Committees recent statement::

To all owners:

Following recent environmental issues raised firstly by the committee and subsequently by a well-publicised small group of owners regarding the HR Golf Course and its chemical usage and storage, below is a statement from IRM, the Golf Course owners, in response to those claims.

For the sake of clarity, the state of the golf course and the lakes is not within the remit of your committee or Resortalia although, of course, we do maintain communications between IRM and ourselves on the basis that what is good for HR is also good for IRM and vice versa.  

Dear Sirs, I am addressing you on behalf of INVERSIONES EN RESORTS MEDITERRÁNEOS, S.L, (IRM) corporation which owns the golf course situated in Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort (HRGR), and in response to your request for information on the products used for the conservation and, in particular, about the reason why some fish have been found dead in the lakes as well as our compliance regarding the applicable environmental regulations. In this regard and  all though we have already been in contact with  Resortalia, SLP in his capacity as the community management company  for HRGR owners to give appropriate explanations, we would like to inform you that the products used in the cleaning and maintenance of the golf course are plant strengtheners that are related to the nutritional family ,  thus resulting environmentally friendly, complying in any case all environmental requirements required by the current  legislation, and being handled and delivered with absolute diligence by the responsible personnel, observing precautions even greater than those that  are required by the safety data sheet of each product. Therefore, we should exclude the cause of the appearance of dead fish in the lake due to poisoning or water contamination by these compounds. Moreover, as already indicated to Resortalia, SLP, this is because when the level of water falls as a result of field irrigation, some fish are caught on the area where the vegetation remains temporarily above the water level until the lake is refilled and die from lack of oxygen, and come to the surface once it reaches its original water level. In any case, we assure you that IRM performs its activity with a strict compliance with the current environmental regulations, and complying as you already know with the Environmental Impact Statement of July 14, 2005 (DIA). Similarly, IRM, carries out and duly delivers each year to the General office of Environmental Quality, the Annual Environmental Statement that is requested both by the Article 2 of said DIA as by the Article 133 of the Law 4/2009, of Integrated Environmental Protection of the Region of Murcia and also undergoes every three years an Environmental Audit contained in Article 4 of the EIS. Finally, indicate to you that we remain as usual at your disposal for any clarification or request for additional information concerning those products, their composition, safety data sheets and use, as well as our performance of the applicable environmental regulations. Sincerely,  IRM

The Committee of the Community of Owners of Hacienda Riquelme 

From the president:

Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort - Presidents Newsletter

Regrettably, this newsletter is going to concentrate on some of our financial challenges.

Cash flow
Because of the decrease in revenue due to the increase in debtors (PW being by far the largest) we are generating substantially less cash than was forecast. Accordingly, we have embarked on an austerity program and are only spending on existing contracts plus essential repairs to maintain our security and infrastructure. Although we budgeted for 100,000? for long term repairs and renewals, our cash flow means we would be ?unwise? to consider committing to expense when we cannot be sure that we will receive all our budgeted revenue.

Holidaymakers
June, July and August are the months when those owners who rent their apartments seek to optimize their revenue so that HR resembles a holiday resort.

Unfortunately, too many holidaymakers are attracted by some of the extremely low rentals that can be had here but who do not understand that apart from the golf course, there is little else to do. If the holidaymaker does not have access to a hire car, their options are decidedly limited.

We have already had a serious incident when one of a group of teenagers renting a second floor apartment apparently tried to jump off the apartment wall. He failed to walk away from his misguided attempt. This same group had earlier been smashing glass on to the road and had an altercation with our security.

If you rent, please make sure that your tenants understand the limitations of our facilities. HR was designed as a 5* golf resort and is just not suitable as a general holiday resort.

Our owners and renters must also appreciate that they have no rights to enter the golf course area, which includes the buggy paths unless they are actually playing the course. Any unauthorised person who is on the golf course is trespassing and there at their own risk. If they, or worse, their child, are hit by a golf ball, they would not be covered by insurance and the golfer would have no liability for the injury.

Phase 7 storage area
Owners on Phase 7 are understandably upset about how the storage area is being used by contractors which causes them varying degrees of nuisance depending on their position. Successive committees have recognized this and endeavored to improve matters for Phase 7 but, regrettably have had little success. It would appear that some Phase 7 owners believe that the committee does not care about this issue but nothing could be further from the truth.

The problem lies with the issue that there is nowhere else for our contractors to use that is remotely as effective as the storage area. The alternative areas for contractors to use are both outside our perimeter so would need to be secured before they could be used. One of these areas is adjacent to the pump house to the left of the road to Sucina and the other is outside our security fence opposite the end of Phase 6. We understand that both these areas are owned by PW or IRM so the golf course machinery could be moved to these areas but our gardeners would have no right to use these areas. This would mean that we have nowhere for our gardeners to base themselves.

Moving these operations will involve costs which, eventually, would be passed through to us ? either in increased golf course costs or increases in gardeners? costs. For these reasons, the majority of the committee has not been supportive of the idea to force the contractors to move although we have tried to have the contractors reduce the nuisance of the storage area and to reduce its adverse visual impact.

Some owners on Phase 7 have now had enough and are taking matters in to their own hands by initiating legal action to have the contractors removed. The majority of the committee is not prepared to support the action because they believe that such an action would not be in the best interests of the HR community as a whole.

We should also have a concern that the golf course is owned by a consortium of banks who have no choice but to take a tough commercial line. They have already told us that they are making a loss on the HR course with no sign of an improvement until they can source cheap water. We need to be mindful that if we push them in to a corner they could choose to close the course. I have had the benefit of being in communication with IRM so have a very real fear that this could well be their response so have this comment to say to the good folks on Phase 7: ?Be careful what you wish for?

Nigel Bradbury
President,
Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort

For the record.................

Due to the following article http://translate.google.com/translate?depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&sl=es&tl=en&u=http://www.laverdad.es/murcia/v/20130503/murcia/concentracion-trabajadores-hacienda-riquelme-20130503.html

“Workers at  Hacienda Riquelme golf course, situated on the road from Avileses (Sucina), with immediate effect reemployed 6 workers who have been laid off.

CCOO reported that the goal is "that the company Selprats SL is to negotiate working conditions, especially in regard to occupational safety and environment."

For the union, "fire workers who have promoted elections candidates CCOO union is a violation of fundamental rights that we are not willing to allow. " CCOO recalls that "we will fight for every possible means that there are no such situations."

This may well affect the temporary facilities that are supplied for the workers in the workers compound.

The new company, according to the union, manages golf courses Mar Menor Golf Resort, Las Terrazas de la Torre, Condado de Alhama Golf Resort, La Torre Golf Resort, El Valle Golf Resort and Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort (the old Polaris) “

We proposed that any improvements in the working conditions of the IRM employees should not mean purpose built new facilities being built within the current compound. Instead we suggested using the existing empty facilities within the newly built town centre at HRGR and allowing the golf course to use the empty land next to the town centre kitchens. Workers could also use the existing car park facilities. In NO WAY does this say that the temporary old supermarket, wooden hut bar or other areas previously used without planning permsiion should be used,

In addition, all roads within the resort are publicly adopted roads hence any equipment used by the Community or the golf course need to be approved and regulated for use on these roads

An owners feedback

I have to beg to differ with regards to it not having an environmental impact. It doesn't matter whether the lakes are man-made or not. You only have to look at the impact that a small pond has when installed in a domestic garden. The flora and fauna that had established itself here since the lakes were constructed was significant and most of that has now gone.

There is less wild life now attracted and the eyesore that is left is unacceptable. If I had want to look at a volcanic landscape I would have bought a property in Tenerife!

Personally I don't believe that the legal action being taken has got anything to do with it and I also don't think that Lucinda and her following have case. The land where the workers store there machinery etc., isn't even owned by us. There are several areas of council owned land on the resort and they could pretty much do what they like with it !

The photos sent out by Nigel of the proposed fencing is ridiculous and wouldn't do anything to obscure the area from affected phase VII apartments other than those on the ground floor. STV would be better off spending some time moving everything to the back of the area, tidying it up and landscaping around it.

If IRM took their heads out of the 'bunkers' they would see what a fantastic course Riquelme is. If as Ken suggested, they filled the lakes in, leaving a depth of about three or four feet, the visual impact would return, the golf course would have its water hazards, the wildlife would return and the golfers would enjoy their rounds too.

There would be a one off cost to do this but then the ongoing costs would reduce dramatically.

It's not rocket science - they just don't get it.

I also bought off plan, because of the lake views. I chose my apartment after having to move plots because of the three missing buildings issue, costing me another €20K because it was a prerequisite that I had lake views. I think that perhaps we should start a petition (possibly electronically) to send to IRM. One lone voice isn't enough, it needs everybody to kick up a stink. Sitting back, saying 'oh well, that's the way it is', isn't going to get any results.

Am I angry about this, damned right I am. It's scandalous and they shouldn't be allowed to get away with it - perhaps we should sue IRM collectively or at least issue a denuncia as shot across the bows !

Illegal use of public land used as a Workers Compound and rubbish dump

Members of the HRGR Association requested that the Community of administrators to confirm the legal ownership of the land that has been established as the workers compound. This has been confirmed as public land which is owned by the Ayuntomiento de Murcia, the Murcia local council.

Accordingly, the Community of Owners, its Presidents, Committee members or administrators or any of its contractors together with the golf course owners IRM, do not have any rights over this land especially with the legally binding Environmental Impact Statement for the Resort from 2005.

A fundamental issue exists regarding this public land that is being used by the resort gardeners, STV Gestion S.L.  and the golf course owners, INVERSIONES EN RESORTS MEDITERRANEOS, S. L, “IRM” as a rubbish dump which was never part of the resort plans or did not ever receive planning permission.

The issue was first raised in 2009 and the HRGR Association have worked with both the Administrators and the yearly elected members of the HRGR Committee to progress what had been, and had not, officially agreed with the Local Authority since then.

Despite several chasing letters and raising the issue consistently over the last 4 years, the newly elected HRGR Committee have not subsequently changed their views and decided this is no longer a problem.  Furthermore, the newly elected committee have publicly verbally attacked 2 HRGR Sub Community Presidents who have raised this issue for continuing to seek resolution to what is not approved or allowed on public land.

 In order to be very clear, this land is public land, has no planning permission to be used for any other purpose than public land and we will continue to fight to ensure that IRM and the STV gardeners are not allowed to be there.

Status

1.    IRM, the golf course owners and STV, the community gardeners are not at liability to decide on the usage of this land or the erection of any fixed structure, including fencing.

2.  IRM, STV or any other contractor have not been given any legal right to place equipment, materials, rubbish or chemicals on this site and are not in compliance with the Environmental Impact Study for the Resort. Accordingly, they need to be moved off this location immediately.

3)     The approved infrastructure areas for the resort are coded yellow on the plans and are the only areas in compliance with the Environmental Impact Study. Any equipment used within the resort or outside need to be road worthy as all roads within the resort are officially classed as public roads

4)    A clear list of chemicals used in the site has to be prepared and details of any chemicals dumped on site.

Conclusion.

The resort is built on a protected environmental SPA area for wild plants of the Region Murcia, which must be preserved with conservation and environmental improvement being the way all parties must operate within the region. Furthermore, the area has an Eagle and Owl home range and is of particular interest for Heron.

It is clear that the Community of Owners its contractors and the golf course company, IRM are not clearly following the approved Environmental Impact Survey for the resort and measures need to be taken now to prevent further damage to this environment.

What is key in the short term is a solution to the lake water levels as well as formal positions as to what is allowed, where, when and how within the Resort. This needs to include confirmation to prevent the current compound being used and the implementation of a long term plan for the sustainability of the resort in keeping with the Environmental Impact Survey to protect the environment, fauna and flora and wildlife of the resort.

We accordingly expect an urgent investigation of these matters. by the Murcia Local Council, SEPRONA and Ecologistas en Acción, ANS.