Beach war continues
Els Poblets wants to reclaim stretch of coast from Dénia, its owners since the 14th century, but Dénia will not relinquish it without a fight
A BATTLE between Dénia and Els Poblets over the Almadrava beach looks set to run and run now that the larger town has opted to appeal against a request to return it to local ownership.
The Almadrava is geographically in Els Poblets, on the Las Marinas road, but has been 'owned' by Dénia since the 14th century.
Residents and holiday-home owners on this 700-metre stretch of coastline pay their IBI, or property tax, to Els Poblets town hall, but Dénia is responsible for its cleaning and maintenance.
Dénia does not understand how Els Poblets can want to turn its back on a 'free upkeep service', but Els Poblets homeowners say this 'service' is hit and miss and feel 'neglected'.
The fact that the 'mother town' is at some distance from their beach means they believe they are routinely ignored.
Dénia's mayor Vicent Grimalt is 'furious' at the way in which Els Poblets has gone about its reclaim, considering it underhand.
But his opposition councillors have urged him to 'get on with it' to avoid a 'Mediaevalstyle land dispute'.
In the end, the local government has opted to appeal against Els Poblets' request.
An ancient route for transporting horse-drawn carts carrying tuna fish caught off the Almadrava coastline was created around 700 years ago and the deeds are in Dénia's name, but over time, the town ended up adopting the entire beach.
Els Poblets has twice tried to reclaim its beach, without success.
The most recent was 10 years ago, when the smaller town alleged that coastal erosion had wiped out the original 14th-century border, and before that, it had tried in 1995.