"When we destroy something created by man, we call it vandalism.
When we destroy something created by nature we call it progress."
On 9 September 2012 it came to the public notice of the people of Sant'Ambrogio that a construction company are awaiting final approval for a development of 54 apartments, housing 200 people, in the village. Some people have been aware of this project for a number of years but there has been no public or announcement or enquiry.
This development is proposed to take place in an ancient village olive grove surrounded by the Natural Park of the Madonie Mountains. If it goes ahead, it will completely change the character of Sant'Ambrogio, and have a major impact on infrastructure of the village.
The negative effects, if it goes ahead, will include:
- The only entrance to the village, a narrow road with no pavement for pedestrians (many of the villagers are elderly and infirm), will be clogged with construction traffic whilst the development is being built, and then when the population increases with the new residences. The noise level, and vibrations from traffic, will be hugely increased.
- Sant'Ambrogio's sewerage system is currently at its maximum capacity even now with only 250 residents and visitors. With another 200 it will be unable to cope. This issue of sewerage is the only factor that is holding up final approval of the plans.
Around 40 to 50 years ago 1,000 or more people lived in the village. Now there are only 250 people and we have houses that are empty and falling down. Instead of covering the ancient olive grove with concrete, why not instead create an incentive to restore these building which are part of our history?
Although there will be employment opportunities for the Palermo construction company, there will be very few for the local people, and the long-term economic outlook for the village will be NO better.
- In the long term, the villagers' house prices could fall and the village's eco-tourism project, which had been written about in the global media, will be devastated. Unchecked coastal developments, such as on Spain's Costa del Sol, have proved to damage the long term environment and economy of those areas.
- The peace of the village, which attracts visitors from around the world, will be lost forever. They will go elsewhere to find the beauty and serenity destroyed by this development. Approximately 30,000 square metres of olive grove hundreds of years old will be destroyed, in the name of "progress".
To raise your objections to this proposal please add your signature to this document that I will present to the local council.
Thank you.
