News
Beach demo
A Barcelona beach was invaded by around
200 protestors last month demanding the
abolishment of holiday rental apartments.
They paraded banners in English with
slogans including, “This is not a beach
resort,” in front of bemused sun bathers.
The local pressure group is calling for an
end to property speculation and the
privatisation of public spaces.
Fire demand
The provincial government has again been
urged to open Nerja’s new fire station.
Socialists at the town hall last month
criticised political arguments which are
delaying the inauguration of the facility.
The €1.2 million construction is reported
to be almost complete but fire crews
presently remain working out of a
temporary base in the town.
Council capers
The Partido Popular in Nerja is reported to
be pressing Ciudadanos councillors to
support a motion of censure against the
town’s present tri-partite administration.
Such a move could see the PP return to
power in the municipality. In this case,
former PP mayor José Alberto Armijo has
agreed to stand aside to allow the party’s
municipal spokesperson, Gema García, to
become Nerja’s first citizen.
Ave licence
Rail infrastructure body Adif has licensed
the services of maintaining the power lines
for the new high-speed rail line to
Granada. The five-year contract has been
valued at over €4 million. The work
includes all aspects of supplying energy to
trains on the 124 kilometre stretch
including lighting in tunnels and all safety
measures and checks.
Early arrival
A 18-year-old Irish tourist gave birth in her
Nerja hotel room last month. Her partner
advised reception that her waters had
broken and help was summoned from the
town’s health centre. But it all happened
before an ambulance arrived, and the
healthy baby girl was delivered by the
father with help from staff at the Balcón de
Europa Hotel.
Madrid responds to
Nerja’s plant problem
The Environment Ministry has
suggested two options to get Nerja’s
water treatment plant completed.
Progress on construction has been at a
standstill since the main contractor
involved filed for voluntary
bankruptcy at the end of March.
Work began in 2014 with a 30-month
duration expected, but now, while the
plant itself is reported to be 96 per cent
complete, the supporting infrastructure
is far from ready. Collector pipes have
still to be installed beneath some town
centre streets and a pumping station
planned for the Burriana beach area is
barely started.
Also, a secondary project additional to
the original plans is outstanding to
connect eight additional collection
points to the network of pipes. This
will add €2.2 million to the initial cost
of €23.4 million.
Since Isolux Corsán got into financial
difficulties with debts of more than
€1,600 million, Nerja’s Town Hall has
made various approaches to the
Environment Ministry to find out what
happens next. The Ministry has now
responded with two options: either
find a company willing to accept an
administrative assignment to complete
the project, or terminate the existing
contract with Isolux Corsán and put the
remaining work out to tender.
The Ministry says it is holding regular
meetings in order to implement the
most viable alternative in the shortest
time possible although it recognises
that a solution may not be in place
until the end of the year.
Málaga plans new
luxury marina
Málaga’s Port Authority is planning to
create 40 moorings for large private
yachts in the basin between Piers One
and Two.
It says owners of the vessels of up to
100 metres in length are increasingly
choosing Málaga as a stopping off
point for maintenance, supplies and
fuel. It adds they are attracted by the
port, its security and its competitive
prices, as well as by visiting the city of
Málaga.
Border attack Although details are not finalised,
reports suggest that the Mellila ferries
will be moved to Pier Three and the
under-used Pier Four, allowing the
creation of a new marina specifically
designed for private vessels.
A major attack by around 250 people on
the border between Morocco and Ceuta
was successfully repelled last month by
Moroccan security forces. Spanish National
Police and Guardia Civil officers were not
required in efforts to stop them reaching
Spanish soil. Morocco is also reported to
have detained “hundreds” of would-be
immigrants who have settled in villages
and countryside close to the border. A report commissioned from the
Hydraulic Engineering Department at
Granada University has recommended
a design of mooring which can absorb
the energy in the movement of water,
which will decrease the rocking motion
of yachts in the harbour. The
alterations planned are also being
designed not to interfere with the
10
cruise liner traffic moving in and out
of the port.
The Port Authority is also planning a
new luxury yacht club, complete with
heliport, for the owners and crews of
moored vessels. It is planned to occupy
the site where the Casa de Botes
presently stands.
The cost of the project is estimated at
over €50 million but the Authority says
there has already been interest
expressed by Spanish and American
investors. Many are reported to have
been impressed by the port’s proximity
to Málaga’s airport, just a 25 minute
drive away, and to the luxury resorts of
Marbella and Puerto Banùs.
Home brew
Heineken is to open a 450-seat
restaurant in Málaga’s Soho district.
The Spanish arm of the Dutch
multinational says that, as well as
serving food and drinks, it plans to
operate a micro-brewery on the 1,200
square metre site. The project is
expected to create six jobs when it
opens later in the year.