The conflict between the Alicante City Council and the Chamber of Commerce regarding the entity's new headquarters may soon be resolved. The council has issued a license to the operator of the Panoramis business center to restore legality in the area of the former cinemas, where the Chamber's headquarters are located. This solution also impacts two other companies that must comply with municipal requirements, and the Dársena Restaurant, which must remove an illegal terrace.
The Chamber of Commerce is awaiting a detailed analysis of the license decree before commenting, but the news sounds promising. To utilize the new headquarters and access the 1.5 million in aid from the Generalitat Valenciana, the Chamber must adhere to the license's stipulations. The use of the headquarters, particularly the lower floor without urban planning debate, could be feasible from next September.
The license granted to Digital Corner, the current operator of the space, addresses some of the criticisms previously voiced by the Chamber, through its president Carlos Baño, regarding the treatment received from the Alicante City Council's Urban Planning department. The solution is comprehensive, benefiting two other companies that allegedly infringed urban planning regulations by illegally extending a floor.
The resolution sets a six-month deadline to restore the infringed legality. Digital Corner, as the signatory of the rental contracts, is responsible for instructing the three affected parties to "restore the improperly executed material and illegally constructed elements." Failure to carry out these repairs could lead to the non-use of the space or its eviction.
Carlos Baño will need to be consistent with his previous stance of unblocking the situation and seeking a joint solution with Digital Corner, a position the council acknowledged in November. The City Council is applying the same solution provided to the Casino Mediterráneo, requiring a major works license instead of a responsible declaration.
This solution, supported by the Port of Alicante's Usage Plan, depends on the Port Authority for capacity expansion within the Usage Plan, while urban planning discipline falls under the council's purview.
