Water authority postpones permits for twenty new golf projects in Murcia, Alicante and Almeria until at least 2039

Projected golf courses have become a victim of the chronic water shortage being experienced in south east Spain

It is reported in regional newspaper La Verdad this week that the Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura (CHS), the water authority which covers almost all of the Region of Murcia and parts of the provinces of Alicante, Jaén, Albacete and Almeria, has postponed the granting of permits for twenty new golf courses until at least 2039.

This follows other recent climate change warnings for the Murcia region. A European Commission report warned that increasing temperatures could have an adverse effect on tourism in the region and  there has been a call by a consumer association to prohibit the filling of private swimming pools. The water shortage has also affected farmers who are desperate for water to irrigate their crops. Indeed 18 people were arrested by Seprona, the Guardia Civil environmental division, at the end of August for illegally opening 51 wells.

Twenty future golf courses await authorisation from the Segura Hydrographic Confederation (CHS), an essential procedure so that they can obtain the corresponding irrigation water concessions with resources from water treatment plants and, to a lesser extent, wells. These projects, distributed in the Region of Murcia, Alicante and Almeria, would almost double the current number of golf courses, which stands at 27 facilities which together consume 11.2 cubic hectometres per year. The CHS, however, does not plan to grant new authorisations in the medium term, so the new courses will have to wait until at least 2039.

The CHS considers that these twenty projects, some having been on the drawing board for many years, may be viable in the near future and most of the constructing companies have already initiated the administrative procedure to arrange resources for irrigation. However due to the water crisis, the current economic situation and the stagnation of the development of some of these projects in recent years the CHS has chosen to include them in the long-term planning stratergy

Current golf courses that are listed by the CHS as approved are:

Sensol Golf / Camposol Golf - Mazarrón

Alhama Signature - Alhama de Murcia

Hacienda del Álamo - Fuente Álamo

Mar Menor Golf Village - Torre-Pacheco

La Torre Golf Resort - Torre-Pacheco

Saurines de la Torre Golf - Torre-Pacheco

La Manga Club (3 Courses) - Cartagena

Lorca Resort Golf - Lorca

La Serena Golf - Los Alcázares

Roda Golf Course - San Javier

Sierra Golf – Sucina

La Peraleja Golf - Sucina

El Valle Golf - Martinez del Puerto

Hacienda Riquelme Golf - Sucina

Altorreal - Molina de Segura

Vistabella Golf - Jacarilla

Club de Golf Villamartín - Orihuela

Campo de Golf Campoamor - Orihuela

Golf La Finca - Algorfa

Golf Las Ramblas - Orihuela

La Marquesa Golf - Rojales

Lo Romero Golf - Pilar de la Horadada 368000

Las Colinas Golf & Country Club (Golf Monteagro) - Torrevieja

Aguilón Golf – Pulpí

Although listed as approved, 3 courses are currently closed namely:

Corvera Golf & Country Club - Corvera

Mosa Trajectum Golf - Murcia

United Golf Resort La Tercia – Sucina

The Corvera Golf & Country Club has recently been sold and the new owner states that he will reopen the course and facilities but after 10 years of closure it may take some time.

The 20 courses that are still pending authorisation are:

Proyectos e Inversiones Patrimoniales Rambla, S.L. - Bigastro

Garbanzuelo - Orihuela

Los Vélez Golf - Vélez Rubio

Herrada del Tollo - Jumilla

Novo Carthago - Cartagena (this project has already been ruled illegal by the courts)

Finca las Dehesillas - Hellín

Urbanización Country Club - Mazarrón 

Ochando Golf - Sucina

Mercantil Jose Díaz García y otros - Torre-Pacheco

Resort Tres Molinos - Gea y Truyols (a resort which never got off the ground, leaving buyers struggling to recoup the money paid for properties).

Venalcampo Golf S.A - Gea y Truyols

Santomera Golf Resort - Santomera

Golf El Galtero - Torrepacheco

Urbavima - Cieza

Golf Murciana - Cieza

El Roblecillo - Caravaca de la Cruz

Residencial Fuente Higuera - Bullas

Golf Feli - Águilas

Agrícola Duran y Vallehermoso - Águilas

C. R. Pulpi – Lorca

Whether all or any of these courses will come to fruition is debatable, particularly as half the courses are in the Mar Menor watershed, an area around the salt water lagoon with strict irrigation regulations after the enviromental disaster occured in recent years. Others have already fallen victim to legal decisions or to the collapse in the Spanish property market as long ago as 2007.

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