COMMUNICATION 166 STV GARDENING PLANS 2024 |
| Dear Owners, Following the last communication sent in October related to the gardening plans, we would like to inform you of the situation and plans based on the different type of plants / areas. This is the plan to be followed by STV in 2024. The works will commence when the temperatures, weather conditions and availability of water for irrigation are appropriate for the actions that will be taken. We understand that every owner wants to have their gardens done first, and you may think that the area surrounding your building is not the best in HR. Please, bear in mind that the Resort is very big, many areas need attention and gardening is an area that takes time and cannot be changed from one day to another. Grassed areas: 2023 – Scarification took place in phases 1, 2 & 7. For some it worked for others it didn’t. Factors included in the less successful areas are always going to be lack of water, but also the very hot temperatures and position made some areas look far worse than others in the same phase. 2024 – Those phases already scarified will not have any other work carried out until all other phases have had their grassed areas treated under the scarification programme, namely phases 3, 4, 5 & 6. Plant refurbishment: 2023 – Each phase was assessed and work commenced on the worst 30% of each phase. Due to extreme heat and lack of water, and the delayed start (due to setting up the programme) meant that only phases 1 & 7 were completed. 2024 – STV have agreed to replace the plants that have died free of charge, but this will not take place until after all the other phases have their planting plans carried out, in the original order of phase 6, 2, 5, 3 & 4. Hedges: All the rear hedges have been reviewed and a quotation has been received from STV to carry out refurbishment work on various hedges across the resort. In some cases, the same type of hedge will be planted in others a new type of hedge. All plants are small and need time to grow, so do not expect the new plants to be the same height as the current hedge. Fruit trees As RP, I have personally taken a great deal of time and effort to examine the possibilities of HR having its own Olive Oil. It’s quite clear when checking all the details that the costs of doing so are huge and it’s almost certain it would be a huge loss-making exercise. Although there may look a lot of olives, in the greater scheme of things we would have to add these to somebody else’s crop to gain a suitable crop for making oil, and that brings all manner of complications with it. STV have the responsibility of managing all of our fruit trees, and this year they have given the work to pick the olives to a family from Sucina, at no cost to the community. So, while we don’t get any money for the olives, we don’t have to pay anything to have them collected. We will check the costs again next year to see if the break-even point has moved in our favour. All Community Trees (not roadside) A tree report is being developed, which is proving a larger task than first envisaged. Its release to the board is delayed and will now be closer to end of year. Initial findings show that trees are very expensive, and replacement costs have the potential to be very high. It is my expectation that the tree programme may have to run over three years. Planning that we have already agreed upon. Where palm trees are removed from within the boundaries of a pool they will not be replaced with the same tall palm tree type, as these are very costly, require a lot of water in early years and are prone to diseases. A smaller more cost effective a disease resistant palm will be used instead. A H&S criterion is being worked to, to decide which trees close to a building are removed. Trees elsewhere around the resort that have not shown growth will be removed, as will any trees that are diseased. Replacement trees will be positioned to suit their situation and can be of three sizes small, medium and large depending upon the type of tree being used. A phase plan of each tree to be removed and new trees planted will be provided to each board member. A tree might not be planted where one was removed from, due to aspect and soil conditions, however the same number of trees removed across the resort will be replaced. It is also our plan to replace trees removed over the last five years, but we need time, as said, trees are expensive, so the programme will be spread over a few years. Hopefully this explains in detail the plans for 2024 and future years. It has to be cost effective, while also improving the resort and maintaining the gardens we have. A tough task that we are determined to achieve, but it takes time, and not every building will have work done each year, someone has to be first and therefore someone has to be last. Thank you. Kind regards, Richard Deeley President of the General Community of Hacienda Riquelme |
