92001E2146

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2146/01

by María Izquierdo Rojo (PSE) to the Commission

(10 July 2001)

Subject: Evaluation of the URBAN programme in el Albayzin

In connection with the historic city centre El Albayzin and the cofinancing for the programming for the period 1997-1999 via the pilot programme URBAN, which expired on 30 June 2001, can the Commission specify the subject, name and quantity of projects benefiting from this funding? Does it know that some of these projects have not been carried out? For example, the Santa Isabel la Real museum has not yet opened although expensive Community publicity posters announced that it was about to open years ago and the supposedly underground carpark is a monstrosity rising up above ground level.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(24 September 2001)

The table below lists the projects which have been part-financed under the urban pilot project Revitalising the historic centre of El Albaicín and the portion of the budget committed and paid on 31 December 2000.

>TABLE>

In the case of the El Albaicín museum, which is being installed in the monastery of Santa Isabel la Real, the urban pilot project allocated a budget for the conversion of the building, as shown in the above table, which was fully spent in 1998. The monastery was opened for a visit at the end of the seminar Piloting historic urban assets: viable alternatives, held in Grenada in November 1998. The other works which began in January 1999 under the supervision of the

Consejería de Cultura of the Andalusian government, such as the renovation of the roof, were not part of the pilot project. The Commission would ask the Honourable Member to contact the Spanish authorities for the precise schedule of these works, on the completions of which depends the reopening of the museum.

The steepness of the area (5 metres) prevented the carpark from being fully underground. According to information from the Spanish authorities, construction of the carpark received all the permits required. In addition, at the request of the Concejalía de Planificación Urbanística y Obras Municipales of the Grenada town council, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) issued a report through the Spanish National Committee of the International Council for Monuments and Sites (Icomos) whose recommendations were, according to the Spanish authorities, included in the plans for the carpark.