Residents of Sa Casa Blanca near to where Spain's ministry of defence plans to build a missiles' depot at Palma's Son Sant Joan Airport have expressed their concern at the prospect. They learned about the plan from news reports, as did political parties in Mallorca. They haven't been told anything officially and are clear that no one would want something like this so close to where they live.
They are demanding that someone gives them an explanation. "I don't want bombs near my house," says one resident. "It sounds dangerous, though we assume it will be safe." As Son Sant Joan is a military base, the residents are not optimistic that there will be any explanation and they recognise that there's not much they can do.
Maribel Alcázar, president of the federation of Palma residents associations, believes the planned depot is "incompatible with what we believe about the island". "We can do nothing but oppose it as residents, because they're going to install this explosives warehouse near an inhabited area." She feels it is in keeping with "the warlike ambitions of the state". "As it comes from Madrid, there's little or nothing we can do beyond complaining. They always ignore us."
The facility is expected to be operational by next summer. It is being referred to as an 'igloo' because of the specifications - 27 metres in length by ten metres and with a height of 4.5 metres. The structure will slope on either side up to the maximum height. There will be capacity for 75 tonnes of explosive material.
The location will be by the old Spantax Convair CV990 Coronado. Spantax was Spain's first ever charter company. It went bust in 1988. Twelve of its fourteen Convair planes were in a hangar at Son Sant Joan. Eleven were scrapped, except for the one that has been sitting in the airport's military area for 37 years.