Access to the upper part of Río Chillar in Nerja remains closed to vehicles and pedestrians as the decree issued by the Town Hall in August 2023 remains in force.

This situation is liable to continue through the coming summer, as well, as the Junta de Andalucía has rejected leasing bids put forward by three companies interested in managing access from where the road barrier is at the entrance to the old Frigiliana quarry.

The Delegate for Agriculture, Fishing, Water and Rural Development, Fernando Fernández, explained that the Public Water Authorities (DPH) has halted the administrative procedure to award the lease after reviewing reports from the Environment, Tourism Department and from the Town Hall, as well as the three companies having failed to rectify the problems in their proposals.

The problem appears to be defects in protection and safety measures, as well as the proposed parking arrangement and shuttle-bus arrangement.

So, until the companies come forward with revised offers, then a new administrative proceedings cannot started.

The Town Hall needs to put some sort of control on entry to the zone because of the massification of human presence in this protected area and the risk of fire in the summer. It doesn’t help that hikers have had to be rescued up there when they have got into trouble.

In fact, there are still people who venture up there to practice waterfall descents but if the Policía Local come across them on their way up or down, they stand to get fined.

(News: Nerja, Axarquia, Costa del Sol, Malaga, Andalucia – Photo: Eugenio Cabezas/Sur)

Keywords: Río Chillar, Protected Natural Space, Waterfall Descents, Decree, Entry Prohibition, Junta de Andalucia

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