If you let you eyes sweep over the western horizon from in front of Nigüelas right up to the hills in front of Padul, clusters of windmills spin in unison.

Majestic, perhaps, necessary, certainly if we don’t want to burn coal or oil to light our homes, but what of the view? What if your business includes the view of a green valley?

Look, take Valle Río Verde, which includes, Almuñécar, Jete, Otívar and Lentegí. Quite some years ago all these Town Halls took the decision to ban greenhouses in the valley – there are some that predate the decision and another that is technically not a greenhouse, although it looks like one.

The thing is that the Mayors said we either maintain the valley’s beauty as a tourist attraction or we let it end up looking like Almería; they decided on the former because maintaining an unspoilt view made comercial sense if you are going to depend on tourism.

It’s the same with the Valle de Lecrín. The 14 villages that make up the valley depend on the panoramic view of the valley as their prime tourist attraction. Citric fruits aren’t going to make a municipality rich whereas tourism might.

Now, anybody who has visited Señorio de Nevada when the snow lies on the mountains will find the view breathtaking. This bodega-hotel depends on the views just as much as it does for the rain and sunshine for its grapes. However, the Junta has given the go-ahead for a wind park right next door in the Barranco del Agua. Señorío de Nevada fought against it when they found out about the project. The company behind it received a negative environmental report, so the Junta stopped it but within three days the electricity company forwarded modifications and hey presto, it went through, in a country where nothing administrative moves faster than a striking sloth.

Take into account that the negative report was issued on Christmas Eve and by the 27th, when the country was dormant for Christmas, they got their approval. Again, Señorio de Nevada is appealing against the project because of its “high visual impact.”

The question is, does the valley already have enough windturbine farms or does it really need more?

(News/Noticias: Valle de Lecrín, Granada, Andalucia)