Talks have reportedly resumed between the authorities in Rincón de la Victoria and Nerja and the Department of Coasts to resolve outstanding issues and begin the construction of planned promenades in the shortest time possible.
Despite recent changes in government in both municipalities and opposition from environmentalists and neighbourhood groups, both towns appear resolute in their determination to see these projects realised as soon as possible.
The areas in question, in Torre de Benagalbón and El Playazo beach, are currently two of the very few strips of coastline not (yet) massively occupied by bricks and mortar. They are, for the moment at least, bereft of the usual array of promenades, bars, restaurants, hotels and high-rise buildings. In other words, more ‘natural’ areas.
Environmentalists argue that the authorities see the coastal area purely as an economic resource, a place to build hotels and bars in order to boost municipal coffers.
At El Playazo beach, the first phase of operations is to extend the beach area by 350 metres, and the Department of Coasts has allocated €848,000 for this purpose. The stumbling block relates to phase three of the project, the construction of a 700 metre promenade for which the municipality was expected to finance at a cost of €5.5 million.
The new government in Nerja informed the Department of Coasts that it could not assume these costs and this led to the project stalling, although only temporarily it would appear.
According to the Council, ‘significant progress’ can be expected in the coming weeks as technical reports are being prepared to authorise the ceding of the plots of land at El Playazo to the Department of Coasts. This will allow the first phase of the project to begin.
Efforts by the Council to ‘acquire’ the plots of land at El Playazo, currently occupied by various bars, restaurants and private individuals, began some six years ago.