The Mayor of Nerja, José Alberto Armijo, and the Mayor of Torrox, Toñi Claros, have been in Sevilla to discuss the proposed Marina to be built on the boundary between the two municipalities near the beach at Vilches.
The two mayors are keen to know the current status of the project, especially considering that the long delayed Environmental Impact Study has already been approved, and are eager to start the bidding process for the project as soon as possible.
Before the project can be put out to tender, however, the Junta de Andalucía have to submit the basic project, along with the Environmental Impact Study, to the Department of Coasts for final approval.
The proposed marina, with berths for 500 boats, will be put out to tender as a public works concession and will be managed and maintained by a private company and not funded by the Junta de Andalucía and public money.
It remains to be seen exactly who will benefit from such a marina, apart from the municipal authorities themselves through fees, and licences etc and maybe a bar or restaurant ‘on site’. The chosen site is at Vilches beach, a sort of ‘no man’s land’ between the two municipalities, too far for people to park their boat and pop into town. It’s a car, taxi or bus ride to the nearest population centre.
There are a great number of people who do not manage to make the journey from Burriana beach to the town centre, a fraction of the distance, so it will be interesting to see what happens. Perhaps a different story if the site chosen had been El Playazo or El Chucho beach in Nerja or Ferrara Playa in Torrox Costa.
One probably only has to look at Marinas del Este to see the most likely outcome!
There are, however, those who still believe that this long-awaited marina will never actually see the light of day. It does, though, have slightly more chance than a golf course.