The Ajuntament de la Vall d’en Bas will file an administrative appeal against the Generalitat’s Olot and Les Preses bypass project next Wednesday, following a council plenary decision scheduled for Tuesday. The move marks the second legal challenge to the infrastructure plan, after Unió de Pagesos filed its own case earlier this month.

Environmental and Community Concerns

Mayor Magda Roca stated the council’s decision stems from unresolved concerns over the project’s impact on the volcanic-fluvial aquifer, noise pollution, earth movements, and risks to a local school near the planned Verntallat tunnel. Roca said the council has yet to receive coherent responses or sufficient guarantees from the regional government since submitting a prior request in June. “We have the responsibility to protect our territory as a municipality,” Roca said at a press conference this Friday morning.

Political Tensions and Lack of Dialogue

The mayor accused the Department of Territory, led by Minister Sílvia Paneque, of ignoring repeated invitations to visit the affected area. “I’ve had no response from the minister. It’s not enough to only visit Olot and Les Preses. Vall d’en Bas, as an affected municipality, also deserves a visit,” Roca said. She added the council feels increasingly disregarded, particularly after the Generalitat presented responses to 42 local objections in March and proceeded to unveil the final project just four days later.

Unió de Pagesos has already filed a case at the Tribunal Superior de Justícia de Catalunya (TSJC), seeking a precautionary suspension of the project, citing violations of agricultural land protection laws and the planned expropriation of around 100 hectares affecting 40 families. The environmental group Salvem les Valls is also expected to file a legal challenge in the coming days, demanding a new Environmental Impact Assessment. The group warns the current approval fails to adequately protect the aquifer.

Regional Support and Project Delays

The Consell Comarcal de la Garrotxa, led by Albert Danés, has expressed strong support for the 11-kilometre, €471.6 million project, calling it essential after 30 years of waiting. Danés acknowledged the risk of delays due to legal action but stressed that connecting the A-26 motorway to the Bracons tunnels is a priority for the majority of residents. The Generalitat awarded the construction contract in July 2026 for €447.2 million, with work expected to begin in spring 2027 and take four and a half years to complete.

Primary sources: mediambient.repositori.gencat.cat, govern.cat, presidencia.bibliotecadigital.gencat.cat. Reported by garrotxadigital.cat, Nació Digital, gerio.cat, VilaWeb, ACN, uniopagesos.cat, ddgi.cat, vallbas.cat, diaridegirona.cat, Garrotxa Digital.