Plans to upgrade a park-and-ride car park in Platja d’en Bossa, in the municipality of Ibiza, have prompted complaints from local residents over the removal of vegetation, the risk of flooding and the presence of an old building on the site. Ibiza Town Hall says the works include drainage improvements, new trees and lighting, while stressing that the existing building is a protected structure that must be preserved.
According to a local resident, the site was already prone to significant flooding before construction began, with similar problems occurring during the works. The resident fears the project could be completed without adequate measures to prevent the car park from becoming waterlogged again.
Perimeter drainage system planned
The town hall explains that the site receives some of the rainwater runoff from the airport road, which subsequently collects in the area. To address the problem, the project includes a perimeter drainage system which, alongside the installation of gravel and other improvements, is intended to help water drain away more effectively.
The council acknowledges that these measures will not be enough to prevent flooding during extreme weather events, such as a DANA, a severe weather system that can bring torrential rain to Spain. However, it maintains that the planned improvements should help reduce the recurring problems caused by water accumulating on the site.
Protected building to remain as new trees are planted
Another source of local concern is the removal of trees while an old structure remains on the plot. The complainant described the building as a “shack” and said it had been occupied by a family for years.
Ibiza Town Hall disputes that description, explaining that the building is a listed and protected structure and therefore cannot be demolished. The family living there moved out several months ago, before the improvement works began. The council has not specified the building’s exact level of protection.
Regarding the vegetation that was cleared, municipal officials say it consisted of wild, unmanaged growth that had developed on a plot without regular maintenance. They also confirm that the project includes planting new trees and installing lighting, following an approach used at other park-and-ride car parks in the municipality.
Nearly 1,600 free parking spaces planned across Ibiza
The works are part of Ibiza Town Council’s wider plan to improve park-and-ride facilities across the municipality. The scheme aims to provide nearly 1,600 free parking spaces across ten locations in Vila, with an investment of just over €1 million funded through the Sustainable Tourism Tax.
The Platja d’en Bossa project had already prompted protests in early October, when residents of Ca les Ànimes objected to the use of a plot earmarked for sociocultural facilities as a car park.
At the time, the town hall defended the decision, stating that the car park was intended as a temporary use of the site.