Bonell responds to Sant Joan de Caselles landowners and insists that “planning the territory is not expropriation”

“Let’s not engage in demagoguery over heritage, because we are dealing with something that belongs to everyone,” Bonell said.

Bonell defends the protection of Sant Joan de Caselles

The Culture Minister stressed that protecting Sant Joan de Caselles is a responsibility of the Government, but also a collective responsibility, rejecting the idea that the measure infringes on the rights of owners of the adjoining land.

Bonell also sought to distinguish between territorial planning and expropriation, in response to the concerns raised by the affected landowners.

“We have to be rigorous: planning the territory, in this case to protect heritage, is not expropriation,” she said.

The minister also accused those challenging the measure of creating confusion around the consequences of heritage protection.

“Playing with confusion and with the legitimate aspirations of the owners is irresponsible,” Bonell warned.

The minister calls for dialogue with the landowners

Despite the strong tone of her response, Bonell has left the door open to dialogue with the affected owners in order to address the doubts raised by the new protection area.

“There is no doubt that dialogue with the owners will make it possible to resolve their concerns,” the minister said, insisting that any solution must maintain the protection of the heritage site as a priority.

Bonell also highlighted the importance of Sant Joan de Caselles, describing it as “one of the jewels of our Romanesque heritage”, and reiterated that its preservation is a collective responsibility.

Landowners question the protection of 260,000 square metres

The minister’s statements come after the owners of the affected land published a statement questioning the scope of the protection area approved by the Government.

According to the landowners, the church of Sant Joan de Caselles occupies approximately 715 square metres, while the protected surroundings cover around 260,000 square metres. They argue that the protected area is therefore equivalent to approximately 360 times the size of the church itself.

According to the statement, the affected area stretches from the Fire Station to the climbing wall at Cascada de Moles, on both sides of the main road, and also includes the village of El Vilar.

The owners argue that preserving the church’s views is not sufficient to justify a protection area of such a size and question the criteria used to establish its boundaries.

Owners denounce restrictions on private property without compensation

One of the landowners’ main arguments is that their properties are now subject to new restrictions on their use without financial compensation.

The family argues that a decision that significantly restricts property rights should be supported by a rigorous technical justification.

They claim that the documentation focuses extensively on the history and cultural value of Sant Joan de Caselles but does not provide the same level of detail when explaining why the specific boundaries of the protected area were chosen.

The owners also say that there are no sufficiently detailed studies covering views, simulations, topography or elevations that would individually justify the boundaries of the protected area.

They recall an earlier Government plan for a soil transfer centre

The owners’ statement also refers to an earlier project involving the same land. According to the family, the Government had previously proposed building a soil transfer centre on the site.

The owners consider it contradictory that the land was previously regarded as compatible with such a project, while its use is now being significantly restricted on heritage protection grounds.

They also claim that the property remains involved in legal proceedings with the Administration over an alleged breach of that previous agreement.

The owners further question some of the landscape criteria used to define the protected area. They argue that it is contradictory to make the preservation of views one of the main reasons for the protection while the main road, used by hundreds of vehicles every day, runs through the protected area.

They also question the prohibition of future river channelisation works when, according to them, one of the riverbanks has already been channelled.

Criticism of Canillo Town Council over the car park and Motorcycle Museum

The landowners have also criticised Canillo Town Council over several decisions concerning services around Sant Joan de Caselles.

According to the family, around a month ago the council informed them of the termination of the contract for the Sant Joan de Caselles car park, without prior negotiations or an alternative proposal.

The owners also point to the relocation of the Motorcycle Museum, which occupied part of the building and, according to the family, provided public toilets for visitors.

They claim that since the museum was moved, some visitors have had no alternative facilities and that it has become common to find people relieving themselves around the church.

Landowners demand greater involvement from the authorities

The family says it has maintained the land in good condition for decades and has taken responsibility for cleaning, clearing vegetation, pest control and water supply.

For this reason, the owners believe that heritage protection should also involve greater participation by the public authorities in maintaining the surrounding area.

As an example, they claim that snow was not cleared from the church steps this winter, which they say created a risk for visitors.

A dispute between heritage protection and private property rights

The dispute therefore brings two positions into conflict. On one side, the Government argues that it is necessary to guarantee the protection of one of the main examples of Andorra’s Romanesque heritage. On the other, the landowners believe that the scope of the protection is excessive and that the resulting restrictions place a disproportionate burden on private property.

Bonell has defended the position that protecting Sant Joan de Caselles is a collective responsibility and has called for dialogue to resolve the disagreements. The owners, meanwhile, insist that heritage protection must not become “an exclusive burden” on those who own the affected land.