Desenzano Beach Redevelopment Project Suspended Over Environmental Concerns
The Soprintendenza ai beni ambientali ed architettonici rejects the project for the redevelopment of the Spiaggia d’Oro area. The landscape impact of the project is considered significant enough to cause a substantial alteration of the protected area through earthworks involving approximately 4,000 cubic meters of excavation.
For this and other reasons, detailed in a lengthy decree dated June 2, the mayor’s authorization for the works, granted through the sub-delegation delegated by the Regione in environmental matters, has been revoked, and the construction has been suspended.
“We intend to overcome this obstacle quickly,” explains Mayor Felice Anelli. “We are talking about what are essentially significant earthworks, but in reality, it involves removing just a few centimeters over a very wide surface. We will also send more detailed explanations and reports on the project within the next few days. I hope to resume work as soon as possible.”
Interventions and critical issues of the project
The mayor concludes that the Spiaggia d’Oro area is, in fact, the most important in the city, and we hope not to leave it in its current condition, with an open construction site and high piles of earth in the middle.
The intervention planned by the Municipality includes, on one side, the enhancement of the beach, which would be considerably expanded through soil improvements, and the demolition of some small existing buildings, replaced by a single structure designated for beach services.
In the central part, a green area with two walkways on either side is planned, while a small parking lot will be built along the route to the SS 11 highway. The access road, after paving and improvements, will become pedestrianized.
The project, with a cost close to one billion euros, is part of an agreement that entrusts its management to the Hotelier Consortium.
An identical decree had previously halted construction works planned in the Rivoltella beach area several months ago. This time, it was the turn of the Spiaggia d’Oro.
The critical points identified by the Soprintendenza concerning the project involve earth and excavation movements (4,000 cubic meters), modifications to the lake’s shoreline, the immediate visibility of the proposed interventions from the lake, and the risks of hydrogeological instability caused by alterations to the banks.
According to the Soprintendenza, moreover, the environmental expert’s opinion obtained by the Municipality does not address the critical issues mentioned above nor does it evaluate the changes to the landscape and the hydrogeological risks.
In short, the authorization, based on the regional sub-delegations assigned to the Municipalities, is considered flawed due to lack of motivation and has been revoked by a decree signed by architect Silvia Righini Ponticelli.
The decree has also been sent to the Regione Lombardia and for information to the Central Office for Environmental and Landscape Heritage of Rome.
The works have been suspended, pending urgent submission of further documentation which, in Desenzano, is hoped to help unblock the intervention.