It is a little over two years since the one and only underground car park in Frigiliana opened for business, but it is currently expected to close on November 8th due to continuing financial problems.
The BBVA bank is taking possession of 275 of the 496 parking spaces. The consortium who built the car park, La Cañada del Ingenio and Cruz del Pinto, cannot afford to repay the loans taken out for the construction of the facility.
There are 275 spaces available on rotation for residents. The remaining spaces were available for sale, but only 60 were apparently sold. In addition, only six of the twelve locales have been sold.
If the car park closes, owners will have to obtain a key to be able to gain entrance.
The objective was to sell 200 spaces, something the company believes could have happened with a bit more help from the authorities. Apparent plans to curb street parking in the town and force people to use the underground facility did not, in the end, happen.
The Mayor of Frigiliana, Javier López (PA), is reported to be looking at ways of preventing the closure of the car park. The Council cannot afford to take on the mortgage for the facility, but could come to some sort of ‘management’ arrangement.