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28th March 2008

25th March 2008

22nd March 2008

I would like to wish you all a very Happy Easter, also I would like to say Happy birthday to my son Alex who is 9 to day, we will be celebrating his Birthday at home with his many friends. Alex was 5 when we came here, he now speaks excellent Spanish, doing very well at school and has friends of all nationalities. Well done Alex and a very Happy Birthday to you.

16th March 2008

My family and I have just got home from watching the 1^st Procession of Holy Week, a really beautiful event so, I thought some of you would like to know what time the processions start for holy week, They all leave from either the Church of the Encarnacion on the hill near The Town Hall, or the El Salvador in P4. There are other routes available but the below are the important ones. Well worth going to see a few of them. Almunecar do have the most colourful and splendid Processions along the Costa Tropical.

Palm Sunday    16-3-08                       11am - 3.30pm                  Encarnacion

                                                          5pm – 1am                       El Salvador

Holy Monday   17-3-08                         9pm-1.30am                      Encarnacion 

Holy Tuesday   18-3-08                         9.30pm-2.00a                   Encarnacion 

Holy Wednesday 19-3-08                      8.30pm-1.15am                 Encarnacion

            “                                             10pm-2.45am                    St Miguel

            “                                             10.45am-1.45pm                Encarnacion 

Holy Thursday 20-3-08                          5.45pm-12mn                    Encarnacion

            “                                             6.30pm- 1.30am                

            “                                             6.45pm-23.30pm                Encarnacion 

Good Friday 21-3-08                           10.30am-3.30pm                  Encarnacion

            “                                             6.30pm-1.45a                            “

            “                                             8.30pm-1.15am                         “

Holy Saturday                                     1am-4.am                                  “ 

Easter Sunday                                    11.15am-4pm                             “

13th March 2008

26th February 2008

The Mayor of Motril has recently met up with the new director of the University of Granada to discuss getting a University built in Motril which would serve the coastal area. This is really good news for the the whole area. As the coastal population increases the demand for a local University is increasing. The proposed location is near Playa Granada where the council own 40,000 meters of land and they wish to make this available for the project. I will be keeping an eye on this one and update you  accordingly.

22nd February 2008

Alzheimer's is a dreadful disease as people who have seen their loved ones suffer know. In Spain alone more than 300,000 people are suffering. The Costa Tropical is not sitting back and doing nothing for their people and their families, the Asociacion de familaries de Enfermos de Alzheimers are to begin giving lectures in the local schools, starting with IES Antigua Sexi high school. They are looking at talking to children 13/14 age groups, the hope is to create a higher level of understand and hopefully as a result the children will help with the care and understanding of relatives suffering from this disease. A new GPS tracking system is soon to be made available to families of people suffering with Alzheimers disease, this will help locate relatives should they wonder away from home. Th Mayer of Motril has announced that in a short time the council will have a GPS bracelet system in place, relatives will be able to locate their loved ones should they wonder and get disoriented. The Mayor has said this service has become available with the advancement of technology.

21st February 2008

Well its that time of year again, I am talking about the procession of caterpillars, seen near pine trees, processions can be as long as ten meters, with the caterpillars moving in a single line head to tail. The biology of these beautiful looking creatures (not so beautiful if touched) there is only one generation per year, moths are there from around July to September, eggs are laid in batches, which are wrapped around a couple of pine needles. They live in groups, and feed on pine needles causing yellow-brownish discoloration. In late autumn, caterpillars spin a final silky nest towards the brightest parts of the crown of the Pine tree. They can be seen on a vast number of pine trees inn the Costa Tropical and indeed most of Spain. At the end of winter caterpillars walk in a procession toward warm spots on the soil where they dig themselves in and pupae. Pupae stop their development during several months up to several years.  I thought I would give you the background. DO NOT touch them they have poisonous spikes on the caterpillars’ bodies, you can have a dreadful skin reaction, keep you pets away from them, it is reported that three dogs died in Cadiar in recent weeks.

16th February 2008

It looks like The Hotel Play Cotobro, that's the one on the corner of the beach road, is set to open later this year. The Judge at the Complaints Court has rejected the Junta's appeal suit against the Hotel. A lot of people are not happy about this, as this has been a predominantly residential area and there are enough Hotels in Almunecar and surrounding areas.

15th February 2008

The ideal newspaper reported that the Junta de Andalucia has granted planning consent for four golf courses through out the Costa Tropical, In La Herradura, Cerro Gordo, Jete and Almuñecar. This is a considerable u turn if correct as the Junta de Andalucia had been vehemently opposed to such developments claiming it was an excuse to build more houses. May be they have a point. I was up in Otura, south of Granada city at the Santa Clara golf course and no one was there! When talking in the bar with some friends they said it was always empty... where is the demand

8th February 2008

Well at long last work has recommenced on the motorway, on my way back from Malaga yesterday I was both surprised and delighted to see the lights on and the crane working, I am told this section of the bridge/road will be finished by the end of the year, good news for Salobrena.

5th February 2008

At weekend we headed off to the Plaza de la Consititucion, in Almunecar  to join in the celebrations, as the annual carnival comes to the Costa Tropical. My family and some friends from the UK all got dressed up as is the tradition, and did our bit to help the town celebrate! It was such a lot of fun, people had gone to such a lot of trouble choosing costumes. Crowds of people paraded around the town, others watched and enjoyed good food and one or two well may be three beers! This event really helps local businesses and gives a signal to the end of winter. It was a great night, no trouble just good fun, the children had a fantastic time.  Just to keep "the feel good factor going" we went to La Herradura's carnival on the following Saturday, spent the evening in the Plaza de la Independencia and again had a great time supporting local business, in that we partied hard, had copious amount of beer and wonderful food!! We just love  Spain and the Costa Tropical.

1st February 2008

The repair of the bridge in La Herradura  is coming on really well, it has been said it should be finished by the end of the month, they are still working on the beach to get it back in some sort of order after the huge storm on the 21 September 2007. Looks like every thing will be up and running by the end of Spring. Although I live in Almunecar I do have a soft spot for La Herradura. It is a lovely little town with a lot of local history, great views and fabulous restaurants.

10th January 2008

The International school has again achieved excellent results, keeping up this pace there will be some very happy pupils and parents at the end of the school year. The teachers are incredibly committed to see their pupils succeed, children settle there very quickly, I should know as my two children started at The International school in September, they love going to school and are doing really well. The school is also very strong in the sports department, they have had to form a second ladies netball team, both teams work well with the girls team, a really great all round school.

3rd January 2008

Congratulations to Salobrena who have been awarded the Seal of Quality for Smaller Historical Centers. About two years ago the European Union started a Network of Historical Centers and Salobrena has met the required criteria. This is great news for the Costa Tropical and hopefully will boost tourism to the local areas. The Mayor has said that wining this award is not just about the castle, which we know forms a large part of the historical value of Salobrena, it is also about monuments and local gastronomy to be found around the town. Well done.

2nd January 2008

A very happy New Year to you all. We have just returned from the UK having spent the festive season here. All had a lovely time, great to see everyone and just great to be back in Almunecar!! The New Year has started at a brisk pace for us which has to be good news, diary fairly full for next week, really looking forward to it. Again happy New Year to you all.

28th December 2007

Finally the Courts have declared the Marina del Este apartments illegal! The decision follows a private case brought by a residents association against Almunecar Town Hall and the construction company involved. The Court in explaining the ruling said the construction potential in the residential areas around the harbour was completely exhausted.

24th December 2007

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our clients both old, new and future ones a very happy Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year. 2007 has been a fantastic year for us, our company continues to grow, we have met many clients over the last year, many have bought property in the Costa Tropical, but very importantly for us, we have gained a large number of new friends. We are looking forward to 2008 with all its excitement, challenges, and knowing we are going to meet some great people.

 4th December 2007

I was sad to see that three of our 4-star hotels have closed down for the winter season. After all, our politicians are for ever going on that we really need more hotels so we can promote the winter months, so all can enjoy the wonderful micro climate in Almunecar and along the Costa Tropical. The Playa Calida which is Almunecar largest Hotel with over 300 rooms, has closed down for the winter as it is not economical to stay open, so WHY I ask are they continuing to build the monstrosity on Cotobro, I over look the thing, fortunately it does not spoil our beautiful view over the bay, not so for others. As it’s the season of good will I will try not to be cynical!!

1st December 2007

  24th October 2007

The International Club meet on the 1^st and 3^rd Thursday of the month in Almunecar, this is a great place to meet new people, the group help to provide contacts and information for its members. English, French, German, Dutch are all spoken, as the club attracted members from all nationalities. Contact Dirk Jurriens  on 958 63 35 10 for further information.

21st October 2007

Up date on some more Motril news, a proposal for a new system to farm mussels of the coast of each farm will cost more than 400,000 euros and will create a good number of new jobs in the area. I will keep you posted about this one.

 18th October 2007

Due to the number of car accidents at the La Herradura exit from the motorway, 16 in two weeks, the state highway authority Carreteras del Estado, have introduced new improved signage plus have reduced the speed limit. The exit was a potential death trap for the unsuspecting drivers not having used the exit before. Hopefully the situation will now resolve its self plus most of the tourists are gone. For those of you who have not used the motorway from

 17th October 2007

Another thing I found out yesterday (I must go out for a pint more often!!) GUG Computer User’s Group have meetings on the second Monday of each month in Almunecar. The discussions are generally on new technology, particularly computers. All are welcome experienced and novices alike. They have an Annual event which includes sale/exchange of used computers, soft wear etc. One contact I have is Paul Read 958881610

16th October 2007

To day I noticed that The Salobrena International club have a new web site, lots of information on it including an activity calendar. Web address is www.icsalobrena.com 

14th October 2007

The Town Hall has decided as a result of the flood, to put a 30 day ban on all fiestas. The market has also been cancelled, the area where the market is held is a mess, but at the moment it is badly needed for parking, as a lot of underground parking is damaged. The Town Hall reinstated the Blue Zone parking only days after the flood. Many feel this was unnecessary with so many basement garages out of action, car owners in Almunecar are having to find alternative parking, as you know there is little of that around, the tight devils are even fining people for parking in the blue zones without a ticket.

13th October 2007

The President of the Junta de Andalucia, Manuel Chaves, who was in Almunecar a couple of weeks ago, had agreed to give 40 million euros towards the restoration of Almunecar.

12th October 200

At last many of the local roads around Motril are to be resurfaced. A budget of almost 600,000 euros has been set aside for 2007, work is to start shortly

11th October 2007

A consortium of 20 property developers presented a project to convert the Motril  Port into a huge leisure marina with more than a 1000 mooring berths. The project was presented to the Royal Nautical Club. This consortium of developers who are based in  Granada province, their design proposes creating a new exterior dock for goods traffic. They have said that they can provide the 300 million € investment necessary themselves. They have still called on all sectors of all society and that includes state administration to contribute. The project includes a commercial centre, underground parking and a cultural centre, as well as facilities to receive cruise ships. They say it would provide more than 3,000 direct jobs. The job situation would be good news for Almunecar, Salobrena and near by towns on the Costa Tropical. Also it would further encourage tourism in the area; Almunecar is only 25 minutes away by car.

 11th October 2007

Monarch Airlines have announced that as from the 4^th November they are cancelling its Gatwick Granada service. This service started May 2005. Monarch say it is due to lack of demand, but the Granada Provincial say that they are very surprise at the news as a new bilingual advertising campaign has recently been agreed. I say it is a great loss to the Costa Tropical.

9th October 2007

The President of the Junta de Andalucia, Manuel Chaves, was in Almunecar last week, he had a meeting with the Mayors of Almunecar, Jeta, Molvizar, Otivar, los Guajares, Itrabo and Lentegi, those are some of the towns caught up in the floods and the resulting devastation. Manuel Chaves said the majority of the 30 million euros the regional government has set aside will go to repairing roads, water and sewage infrastructure. He also said the two bridges, one in La Herradura the other over the Jata in Almunecar, will have to be demolished, plus other very urgent reconstruction work in the LA Paloma Urbanisation. Further talks are to take place this week to address the damage to crops and coordinate aid for farmers and property owners in the areas on the Costa Tropical worst affected areas.

8th October 2007

7th October 2007

Latest update on the Almunecar restoration, the Mayor has said he wants the two bridges up and running by April 2008. I am sure that will happen if the work carries on as it is.

4th October2007

I am absolutely amazed how the work force of Almunecar and indeed the Costa Tropical have responded to this disaster the like was never seen before in Almunecar or surrounding areas. Beaches are looking great, in that the mess has been cleared up, the repairs to the damage will take months. Where all the mess has gone to, I have no idea. Congratulations to the workers of Almunecar, La Herradura and all the Costa Tropical for an amazing job of restoration. There is still a lot to be done, by summer of 2008, I am sure Almunecar will be back to its full glory, if not better, hotels, properties, beaches, the many places to eat will be as new.

22^nd September 2007

What made thing worse was that locals and others had got into the habit of using the dry river beds as rubbish tips. All sorts of items from abandoned cars to furniture and agricultural and garden waste, all thrown into the river beds, and later all carried downstream to block access to the sea, and result in the flood and damage which affected half the town so badly, similar in La Herradura , where a bridge came down. The beaches look as though it will take months to recover.

21^st September 2007

We had no way of knowing that the storm last night would lead to a natural disaster today. During the day we had golf boll sized hail stones (I have saved two of them my in my freezer!!) rain like I have never seen. I was in Almunecar around 2pm and noticed the Rio Seco was full of all kinds of rubbish including a white van that had crashed into the bridge. The water was fast high and dirty, I took some photographs and headed for home. The rain was relentless, so three rivers had burst their banks, bring down two bridges. The devastation in Almunecar and la Herradura is unbelievable.  A 42 year old German man tragically lost his life when he was trapped in rising waters in the communal garage beneath his home.  The damage caused by the floods has been estimated to total 70 million €. Two hotels had to evacuate their guests. It hard to believe that the Costa Tropical, could be hit by such a devastating national disaster. Nothing like this has happened since records began over 80 years ago.

16th September 2007

La Herradura is beautiful fishing village and is soon to celebrate the 100th anniversary of La Herradura’s church, San José. The procession of the throne of the Virgin Mary through to the area of Las Maravillas promise to be this year the biggest yet. It starts at 8pm on the 16th September, you’ll discover that this special occasion doesn’t stop with the procession, but goes on to a very lively local tradition bringing to the Cost Tropical another memorable evening. 

Well the summer is here and so are the tourists. Business in the property sector is doing really well so the Costa Tropical has been a hotbed of activity. 

6th August 2007

Almunecar receives plaudits from local business for new Urban plan including the new promenade at L a Herradura.

4th August 2007

 The council of Almunecar in the Costa Tropical has cancelled this feria fiesta due to the ongoing refuse collection strike. The bin collectors are on strike because the private company dealing with refuse have not paid wage increases agreed last year and some people even claim not to have been paid. After 5 days the rubbish is piling up and beginning to smell.

18th July 2007

Anti jelly fish operations have gone into action with 7 tonnes collected off the Granada coastline.

12th July 2007

New Spanish income tax checks are to be made on people renting out there property in Spain. The Hacienda ( tax authority ) have the facility to access the records of the electricity company to look for discrepancies!! 

 2nd July 2007

Señor Benevides has been found not guilty of the Tropical Fruits negligence case where he and 10 other council employees were accused of losing millions of euros of the town halls money. The case failed because vital paperwork incriminating the accused went MISSING in the town hall!! 

 27th June 2007

The whole coastline receives a boost in the form of over a 100,000 euros in concrete access ramps for the beach, 15 extra diving platforms , over 350 new fixed rubbish bins.

16th June 2007

Hundreds flock to the beach to celebrate San Juan on the one night of the year when barbeque's and camping on the beach are permitted. The more seasoned revelers come early to set up camp on the most prized piece of beach. This being my 4th year to enjoy this fiesta, no need to say what part of the beach my family occupied!! Bonfires are lit at midnight when the the skies along the Costa Tropical have a most fantastic glow. This is an annual fiesta, friends and family come from all over to celebrate and join together to party and take the  plunge into the seawater at midnight, this tradition has started as all thought it would bring  health and and all good things the following year.  As bleary eyed folk crawl out of their tents to the smell of freshly cooked bacon and hot coffee not to mention the littered beach and the remnants of  the night before party, another day happily starts on the Costa Tropical. We had a wonderful night,  if you are in Almunecar or any where on the Costa topical come and join in the fun.

15th June 2007

Bail set a 1 billion euros for Juan Antonio Roca, the alleged  mastermind of the Marbella scandal and the Judge has decided there is enough evidence to prosecute 86 out of 106 people arrested.

28th May 2007

Mr Benevides has done it again as has been reelected Mayor of Almunecar and La Herradura, in a land slide victory in the local elections. An advertising campaign akin to a USA style presidential election proved too much for the opposition and Mr Benevides slogan of let the actions do the talking seems to have hit a cord with the Almunecar- La Herradura towns people.

18th May 2007

Work has restarted on the Torrecueves motorway bridge after a stoppage of 18 months. The site was the scene of the accident that saw 6 manual workers killed and many others injured. The official enquiry conclusions appear to be defective welds and bolts.

30th April 2007

As from last week all sellers of all property in Spain will have a 3% retention of the selling price to be held against Spanish Capital Gains Tax
from residents and non-residents alike. The idea is that the Spanish authorities hold this as a deposit against any potential Capital Gains Taxes
that may be payable. If you feel that our tax bill should be lower then you submit all your full papers and apply for rebate. There are other
requirements such as certificate of non- residence and fiscal registration, you may need the help of a gestior to satisfy these requirements.

29th April 2007

Chris Stewart, best known for his book "Driving over Lemons" and ex-drummer of Genesis, has announced he is standing as a candidate for the Green Party
in the nearby town of Orgiva in the May local elections.
His books about local life are thought to have been partially responsible to the increase of Britons moving to rural areas. His first book has recently
been published in Spanish and is currently in the top 20 best sellers.

 28th April 2007

British MP Margaret Moran has closed off a right of way across her property in the Alpujarra. A Judge in Orgiva, Granada Province, has ordered that the
British Labour MP must ´stop carrying out any act which stops or complicates the right of way over her finca´. It means that locals (a village of some
200 residents) can use a track which crosses her ground, despite the fact the MP installed a gate to block the way. Moran has been ordered to make the
area as it was.

18th April 2007

An immigrant boat was intercepted this week, 2 miles off the coast of Cerro Gordo.
There were 33 passengers aboard the boat, all of whom are currently being held in Motril immigration centre whilst their paperwork
is carried out for repatriation. National Police say the skipper of the boat attempted to hide with the other passengers but was identified by
two of his countrymen.
One of the passengers was taken to Motril hospital with two suspected fractures.

5th April 2007

An old zinc mine dating back to the 8th century is to be reopened in Motril and provide guided tours. The mine was the largest of its kind during the Moorish occupation of Spain known as the Al Andalus.l

 1st April 2007

The Almunecar bridge disaster in 2005 was caused by a defective welding seam being broken by excess pressure caused by a defective bolt. The judge will now decide if any one should be prosecuted and face charges of manslaughter.

30th March 2007

A British diver was taken ill while diving and lost consciousness up on the surface in La Herradura, Costa Tropical man said to be in his forties and from the UK died on Thursday morning, after diving off the Marina Del Este marina, in La Herradura.  Members of La Herradura Diving School worked on him for 45 minutes, reports said. He was an experienced diver, and belonged to a diving club in Fuengirola, which had arranged a diving trip to La Herradura that day.
 

28th March 2007

Almuñécar council has voted to donate the cost of building 63 houses in the area of the Anantapur district of India. The donation will be made over a ten year period via the non-governmental development organisation, the Vicente Ferrer Foundation.
The socialists did not attend the meeting.
 

22nd March 2007

Drugs haul at Granada airport. The drugs were found hidden inside chocolate cakes sent from Argentina. The 18 kilos of cocaine were seized on Wednesday .Seven Argentinians were arrested following international intelligence cooperating with the Spanish authorities.

A Dominican man was arrested in La Herradura after Almuñécar Civil Guard was found making 400g of cocaine in is home.

16th March 2007

A motorcyclist is recovering from his injuries in the in Motril, after an accident on the N-340 coast road between La Herradura and Almunecar. The Malaga man was injured just after midday as his bike skidded out of control into the path of an oncoming vehicle from the Almunecar direction.

 14th March 2007

A mountaineer fell while climbing in the Sierra Nevada Natural Park at the weekend is still in a special unit in a Granada hospital. He slipped and fell over 300 meters at Los Tajos de la Virgen. He suffered head injuries in the fall. Staff at the Sierra Nevada ski station assisted the Civil Guard helicopter which made the rescue.

The mountaineer was from the  Valencia region and were climbing a route linking El Veleta and Elorrieta. The Sierra Nevada ski range is currently still enjoying good conditions after a particularly difficult ski season.

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February 28th 2007

Hurray , thank the Lord at last the new motorway junction at La Herradura junction is open and has knocked nearly fifteen minutes off the trip to Malaga airport. The views are stunning and the trip far more enjoyable especially if you like my daughter feels queasy on the winding coastal road from Nerja to Almunecar, Granada.

Workers on the A-7 motorway in the area of Taramay near Almuñecar have threatened go on strike unless they get a 25% pay rise. The new motorway between Nerja and Taramay has run into lots of difficulties with problems with the land geology including dangerous landslides.
The Ministry of Development needs to approve more funding to allow the stretch between La Herradura to Taramay to be completed. The section between Nerja and La Herradura will open before the end of the month. Hurray!!

Tue, 13 Feb 2007
A judge from Granada has declared that the licences issued by Almuñecar Council for the building of 150 apartments in the Cerro Gordo Natural Reserve, to be null and void with the likely hood of demolition orders to follow. Almunecar town hall can appeal against the ruling and probably will. The apartments are completed and have first licence of occupation illegal because the they are too high and they have built on a mere 9,400 square metres of excess land.

Sun, 11 Feb 200
Two men on remand since last April are facing jail terms up to seven years each for smuggling illegal immigrants from Morocco. The boat was intercepted by the Guardia Civil of the Granada Coastline near Motril and included women and children. all seven years in prison.

Click here for information on insurance in Spain including what is covered and where to buy it, whether it is for your car, home, contents , life or medical.  

 The victim’s identity has not yet been released.

Sun, 11 Feb 2007

A mountain climber died in the Sierra Nevadas after falling off the peak at Mulhacen. His climbing partner raised the alarm but the rescue helicopter has had problems retrieving the body due to high winds in the Sierra Nevada ski resort.

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 

Manuel Chaves who is the president of the Junta de Andalucia has told the town halls in Almuñécar and Salobreña that their local urban development plans(PGOU) can not be agreed. The President of the Junta de Andalucía toured the region in the run-up to the referendum on Andalucía’s reformed statutes. He was addressing the public in the Costa Tropicals Motril before  Voting takes place on 18th February. Chaves said that the autonomous government of Andalucia  will not allow disproportionate or excessive urban expansion. He said that boundaries for expansion were  laid down quite clearly in Andalucía’s development plan and cannot be exceeded. That is currently the case with the PGOUs of Granadas Salobreña and Almuñécar.

04 Feb 2007

There was a demonstration in Orgiva against a new dam nn the Cotraviesa region where 1000 residents took part. They believe the existing dam in the Alpujarra beauty spot supplies enough drinking water to the Costa Tropical and the second dam is more to satisfy irrigation supplies at a cost to local agriculture.

Mon, 29 Jan 2007

The courts has suspended the third building licence granted by Almuñécar Town Hall since November. The luxury development near El Peñón del Lobo, where 144 apartments and villa homes are planned. The licence was issued in August 2006. The complaint by by the Junta de Andalucía is on the basis that approval was given despite irregularities highlighted in line with planning legislation. The Junta de Andalucia reported in November that construction of three of the six blocks had already started, despite these problems being raised.

25 Jan 2007

A project to convert Motril Port into a massive leisure marina with more than 1,000 mooring berths, commercial, retail and residential areas was presented on Thursday.
23 property developers based in Granada province presented the proposal. Ideas include a new cargo port on the outer part of the port and facilities to receive cruise ships.The project wil need 300 million € investment and provide 3000 jobs.

27th January 2007

The Junta de Andalucia has effectively put a preservation order on much of the plantations in the Costa Tropical, in the valleys and on the hillside which will put a stop to any new urban plan which allows for excessive building which includes the proposed Golf course in Rio Verde. The Regional Parliament has approved an amendment to the POTA (Plan de Ordenanza Territorial Andaluz). This means that no PGOU will be approved that contains building development in these areas. Throw Almunecars plan in the bin then!!

26th January 2007

The new petrol station in Almunecar is well under way on the east side of the stadium. The deal struck with Almuñecar  council was for the petrol company to build a new grandstand for the Almuñecar municipal stadium if they could operate a petrol station under the grandstand! Not the seats I would want to sit in... Alegations are flying as Almuñecar council did not put the deal out to open tender as per Andalucian local government rules.

25th January 2007

The La Herradura paseo saga is set to escalate as more people understand what is being proposed. No it is not as simple as putting a fancy footpath along the beach so we can have a stroll with the family on a Sunday , oh no. The ayuntamiento of Almuñecar have proposed to build an 10 meter wide paseo, losing all the existing parking, making a compulsory purchase order of a 10,000 m2 chunk of rustic land ( which is due to be re classified on the next pgou( urban plan) and thus 10 times more expensive in the future)  and classifying the 2 new car parks private places to be sold!! La Herradura areup in arms with a petition of over 700 names against it. The council say it is too late, the deadline has passed and the paseo is going ahead. Word is that opposition parties will undo the proposals if Benevides loses the next election. The project is budgetted at 9 million euros.

24th January 2007

The town hall of Almunecar have announced their budget for improved recreational facilities and improvements for the coming year is set at over 18 million euros. With the grand opening of the new motorway section at La Herradura it seems that Almunecar council are taking it's public image seriously. 

17th January 2007

 The town meeting in Almunecar was disturbed on Tuesday with socialist councilors walking out at the way the meeting was being conducted and the mayors insistance that the town persist with plans to approve a new urban plan which they feel will be rejected by the Junta de Andalucia. Almunecars urban plan wants four golf courses and 35,000 new homes, which falls way outside the Junta de Andalucias guide lines for sustainable development. The PSOE councillors now intend to prove the meeting invalid because of the way the meeting was convened. So at this point Almunecars new urban plan is approved by Almunecar council but is certainly destined to be rejected by the Junta de Andalucia. What is the point !!! Socialist councillors walked out of a council meeting in Almuñécar on Tuesday in protest at the content of the town’s new local development plan, which was on the agenda for provisional approval. The plan, or PGOU, was passed without their votes. PSOE say the plan will not achieve approval from the regional government, and say they plan to challenge the validity of Tuesday’s meeting, alleging irregularities in the way it was convened. The meeting turned down a Partido Popular amendment to cancel a planning agreement to build a golf course in the lowlands of the Verde River. The new plan foresees 34,933 new homes in the town, together with four golf courses, and clearly does not meet regional town planning guidelines. The current population of Almuñecar is 26,000.  

15th January 2007

Development Minister, Magdalena Álvarez, was in Motril on Monday, where she inaugurated the second phase of the new Las Azucenas Dock at the port in Motril. Providing a maximum depth of 14 metres alongside 1.3 kilometres of berths, these new facilities will allow access to deep draught ships including liners, tankers etc As a consequence Motril ports  activity is expected to increase by an estimated 80% within 10 years.

The majority of the 40 million euros invested in the new port over the past six years was met by the Motril Port Authority, along with money from the European Union and the State Port Authority.

Jan 15, 2007  
Hotel promoted by Spain international footballers, including former Liverpool FC star Fernando Morientes, could exceed height limitations.

THE Supreme Court of Andalucía has opened an investigation into alleged irregularities in the construction of the Hotel Bahía in Almuñecar. If you live in Almunecar you will know exactly which building we are talking about as it is much bigger than any other buildings around it. It is also built in front of another building and within meters of the neighbouring apartment block

Judges have instructions  from the public prosecutor’s office in Madrid to look into allegations made by the regional government that the four-star hotel exceeds height restrictions by 2,500 square metres. Complaints have also been raised over modifications made to the Costa Tropical town’s PGOU urban planning document in 1998. The Junta de Andalucía claims land designated for public use was changed to allow for the hotel to be built on  Almunecars Avenida de Juan Carlos I.If the allegations prove to be true the hotel, which opened  in September 2006, will have its planning permission revoked – and face possible demolition. The ten-million-euro hotel is known locally as the Footballers’ Hotel after Spain international footballers – including current Valencia CF player Fernando Morientes and former Barcelona star Luis Enrique - allegedly are part owners and shareholders in the development and  appeared in a promotional event for the hotel in Madrid in 2004.
 

7th January 2007

Three Rumanians who attempted robbery in Almuñécar on Saturday have been arrested at a Civil Guard control on the N340 coastal road in Salobreñ after being identified by the female shop assistant. They were detained within hours.It happened at premises in the Almuñécar Playa Hotel complex, in the San Cristóbal area of the town. 5th Jan 2007

5th  January 2007
After several earth tremors in \Seville during the week there was an earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale to the west of Santa Fe 12 kms from Granada last night. Despite the size there was no reports of property damage or injuries.

28th Nov 2006

Court 3 in Motril has called the Mayor of Almuñecar, Juan Carlos Benavides, and another ten people found guilty in the so-called Tropcial Fruits case, to submit details of their assets. The objective is so the court can then carry out the sentence which was announced against the group in November 2003, and pay the fine placed at 3,476,771 €. The court’s ruling is firm and no appeal can be made. Unless the money is paid the group’s assets will be embargoed.

The Mayor and the others have ten days to comply with the order. Many critics complain that the assets of these people including the Mayor have long been filtered away.The sentence follows a multimillion shortfall in the accounts of the Tropical Fruits Company which was owned at the time by the Almuñecar Town Hall.  Many people feel the Mayor should resign or be banned from office.

26th November 2006 

A fishing boat owner has been fined 40,000 € after it was caught dragnet fishing, by the Guardia civil,in waters of La Herradura last year within the exclusion zone of the Maro-Cerro Gordo Natural Park.The area is a nature reserve protected by the Junta de Andalucía, who said that this type of fishing is currently one of the greatest causes of damage to the local marine flora and fauna.

Click here for information on renting property in the Costa Tropical, Granada, Spain

25th November 2006

A 54 Maltese sailor was rescued as he had suffered a heart attack on board a Maltese ship off the coast of Motril, Granada on Wednesday was airlifted off by a Coastguard helicopter

17th Nov 2006

A 350 million € project was presented this week to build a golf course with 1,000 homes and 700  apartments, a five star hotel and shopping centre in Rubite. The development would increase the population of the small coastal Granada village, from 550 to 3000.The PSOE Mayor of the village, Arsenio Vázquez, said the plan had many attractions for the village, and had been included in the PGOU urban plan approved last October. The project still needs permission from the Junta de Andalucia Environment Department, and the Granada  Provincial Town Planning Commission, so there is a long way to go. 

14th Nov 2006

The mayor of Almunecar is under attack again for taking almost 4 million euros from developers in fees for projects which are not legal under the existing PGOU (urban plan) , but will become legal IF the new PGOU ever gets approved by the Junta de Andalucia. The mayors critics say that Almunecar town hall can not afford to pay the money back if it has too.

7th November 2006

One year ago today six men died in the Torre Cuevas Autovia del Mediteraneo bridge disaster. The Judge in Almunecar has given the Ministry for Development three days to produce the report and also he has reprimanded the construction company and the National Research Center of Metallurgy for reports also still outstanding.

2nd Nov 2006

Rules Damn pipelines.

Well they made the damn but never put in the pipework to feed the water to the Velez de Benaudalla bridge to provide irrigation and drinking water. Next year the Andalucia water agency will start work on the 18 km pipeline taking water to Molvizar, Lobres, Itrabo  and down to the Granada coast. The work will benefit 300,000 people, cost 20m euros and take two years.

click here for more information on Spanish mortgages and finance in Spain and access to up to date information on interest rates and monthly payments.

30th October 2006

Banco Halifax Hispania has opened two new branches in Sotogrande and Guadalmina on the Costa del Sol  and a new branch here on the Costa Tropical in La Herradura. The bank are interested in the expatriate market here in the Costa Tropical where people are buying property to let or relocating to the Costa Tropical for a change of lifestyle. Banco Halifax Hispania also has branches on the Costa del Sol in Málaga, Marbella, Benalmádena, Fuengirola and Torrox.

The sales pitch for the Halifax (parent company) is that there are English speaking staff and that you can arrange your affairs in the U.K through one of their branches before you arrive in Spain. My experience of the Banco Halifax Hispania is that their charges are expensive and their interest rates on their mortgages are more expensive. Many of the Spanish banks offer free transfers, internet banking and mortgages almost 2% cheaper (the last time we compared).Also if you are buying property in the Costa Tropical you would not want to use the Halifax to transfer money from the UK, it could cost you thousands of Euros If you are looking for mortgage or banking facilities please email us and we will recommend the banks and companies we have found to be inexpensive and efficient.

15th October 2006

Saturday 14th October was Europa Day in Almunecar. Almuñécar’s annual fiesta for  foreign residents, was a big success on Saturday October 14 as a dozen expatriate clubs and associations staged a gastronomic display in Majuelo Park. The fiesta was enjoyed by hundreds of foreigners from over 70 countries as well as many Spaniards.

The highlight was the award by the mayor of a plaque to a member of each of the main clubs for inter- cooperation between foreigners and the local community. Winners this year were Tim and Clare Fear of the British Legion and Leif Lindell of Hispano Nórdica and Club Nórdica. Marion Moller of the German Speaking Club, Charline den Elsken of the Flemish Cub, Deschomets Paquerette of the Francophone Association.
Anna Grazyna Kulesza, a Polish architect and artist of the American Club of the Costa del Sol,was thanked for donating large murals to the castle and promising a third next year depicting the arab era of Almunecars past.These existing murals are fantastic and well worth seeing at St. Miguel castle in the heart of Almunecar.

15th October 2006

Hotel accommodation in Almunecar/La Herradura has in the last 5 years, increased from 81% occupancy to 91% occupancy, whilst the number of beds have increased to 12000. This great news for the Costa Tropical and shows that tourism is growing.

7th October 2006

Almunecars mayor, Juan Carlos Benavides, has opened new artificial grass pitch in the San Miguel old town as well as the recently remodeled Calle Antigua, again in the old town of Almunecar.

6th October 2006

Granada airport has confirmed that Ryan air have opened a new link from East Midlands airport in the UK, to start  20th February 2007. Ryanair is thought to be partly responsible for the increase in hotel occupancy on the Costa Tropical and increased visitor numbers on the Costa Tropical coastline. The airport has been renamed Federico Garcia Lorca Granada' Jaen Airport which is a bit of a mouthful, and we along with many other people will continue to refer to it as Granada airport. The new route alone with its 3 flights a week is thought to create 40 new jobs and bring 6 million euros a year tourists spend to the Granada region as a reported 40 000 passengers will come and enjoy the delights of Granada, the Alpujarras, Sierra Nevadas, Lecrin Valley and the Costa Tropical. These flights will be all year round as Ryan air appreciate the all year round attractions of the the Granada region

5th October 2006
There will be a new bird hide (observatory) at Charca de Suarez, in Motril which will be designed to view the Parque de los Humedales

30th September 2006

The Fiesta has started to celebrate St. Miguel (St. Michael). In Almunecar the castle is named the St Miguel castle and this top upper most part of the old town is known as St Miguel. There was and will be through out the weekend singing and dancing in the streets of Almunecar with traditional Spanish music. 

27th September 2006 S

SOS Andalucia an animal charity has finally secured funding of 800,000 euros to build an animal sanctuary on a plot of 31,728 square metres of which they will occupy 16,000 square metres. The rest will be used for other social purposes that will become the property of Almunecar Ayuntamiento, with the technical and legal advice costing a further 15,000 euros. The secretary of the association, Julia, has rescued 6,225 dogs in her 7 years of involvement and with the new facilities SOS Andalucia will be the biggest animal rescue in the Costa Tropical.

The new Bahia 4star hotel in Almunecar has opened this month and reported good reservation figures.

23rd September 2006

The junta de Andalucia is planning to curb light pollution throughout Andalucia in an initiative which will see the banning high light emissions which will see heavy fines for Town Halls and businesses. The Granada region has the astronomic observation base at Predallano in the Sierra Nevadas.

21st September 2006

The Junta de Andalucia want to introduce new measures to reduce the number of properties built at the same time as a golf course. In Andalucia this will mean a reduction from 15 to 10 houses per hectare and some even think that is too high and only want 1 per hectare. Andalucia currently has 86 courses in 87000 square kilometers with a further 86 golf courses in the planning stage at the Junta de Andalucia. There are twenty in the Granada region with 4 in Almunecar, 2 in Salobrena and 2 in Molvizar. I suspect the reduction to 10 will suffice.

22nd September 2006

The plans for a sub aquatic park planned for Almunecar, Marina del Este, Cotobro, San Cristobal and La Herradura has been resurrected after ecologists showed the reef regeneration after a trial of only one year. Now the multi million euro project has been allocated funds and works will start within months. This is great news for scuba divers and local businesses a like. This is the first of its kind in Andalucian and will improve the levels and diversity of marine life on the Costa Tropical.

20th September 2006 

98 illegal immigrants were detained in Motril on Sunday after a group including  11 children landed from Morocco. More illegal immigrants arrived on the Costa Tropical on Sunday - two boats carrying a total of 98 passengers. The illegal immigrant problem is growing at present with 180 people detained yesterday alone along the Granada and Almeria coastline. La Herradura also saw a small boat stopped by the Coast guard with three illegal immigrants on board.

18th September 2006

The Prince and Princess of Asturias became the first members of the Royal family to make an official visit to the Costa Tropicals commercial center of Motril. They were christening the Alvaro de Bazan F100 navy frigate which has been seen several times on test runs off the Costa Tropical coast. 

14th September 2006

The proposal to build the worlds longest cable car to service Andalusia's Sierra Nevada ski range has officially been submitted for planning approval to the Junta de Andalucia. The 19 km long cable car will cost 148 million euros and could be open within 4 years. This would be a fantastic initiative for the resort and for the whole Granada region. It only takes one hour to get from the Costa Tropical resort of Salobrena from the Ski village.

03 Sep 2006 
The Mayor of Almuñécar has declared that he intends to take the rejection of the towns new Urban Plan to the supreme court. The cabinet have also refused Almuñecar the right to a referendum on the subject.

Almunécar’s new local development plan,(PGOU), has 2 new marinas, several thousand new properties including over 550 low cost housing and  four golf courses, but the Junta de Andalucia think it is too much.

31st  Aug 2006 

The Partido Popular say that the Andalucian Government need to speed up the completion of the new motorways in the Granada region. This delay in 5 stretches of motorway where contracts have been awarded is unacceptable the PP has told Congress. The Costa Tropical including Almunecar , La Herradura and Salobrena are awaiting final works to open the new junctions in their area. In all 58.2km of motorway are affected and are due to be finished for 2008.

29th August 2006
A Romanian gang of thieves, all under 25 and  who targeted luxury chalets in the Almuñécar and La Herradura area have been have been arrested by the Guardia Civil. Loot recovered included luxury cars, cash, jewellery and phones. The spree lasted 3 weeks but the Guardia determined to trap the gang set up road check points throughout the Costa Tropical as far as Salobrena which led to the gangs capture.

23rd August 2006

Almuñécar motorway collapse remains unexplained say court. Evidence given in court on Monday by three men working at the site on the A7 motorway where a viaduct collapsed last November has failed to clarify the cause of the accident. Six men lost their lives in the accident in Taramay on 7th November 2005 , but despite evidence from key on site witnesses the authorities can find no single reason as to why the accident occurred. Several reconstructions have been carried out with results due in December. The Junta de Andalucia have ordered works to resume in the Costa Tropical area.

16th August 2006

The annual fireworks bonanza to mark the end of the Almunecar fiesta was an amazing success. Set to music Almunecar was set a light with mock battle scenes between the old castle and sea aggressors. The display lasted for over half an hour and was hailed by experienced viewers as the largest display in the history of Almunecar. We watched from the beach in front of the Atillo paseo and it was incredible!! So put Almunecar in your diary for next August 15th.

14 Aug 2006,
 
Despite a red warning flag a holiday maker went out to swim in the bay of La Herradura and drowned. Mr Rafael MV from Switzerland was 35 and he was here on holiday with his family. Rescue workers tried desperately to revive him to no avail. His family have holiday in the Costa Tropical for many years and loved La Herradura especially.

15 Aug 2006,

Motrils national police force have broken a large ring of fraudsters in Motril. The banking fraud committed by local drug addicts consisted of obtaining false identification and obtaining bank loans for cars which were subsequently resold , without repaying the banks. Other retail businesses were targeted and the total defrauded will reach 500,000 euros. this is one of the largest frauds uncovered in the Costa Tropical.

11 August 2006 

Over 5 tonnes of Jelly fish as another plague has threatened the Costa Tropical coastline . There have been reports of over a thousand people attending medical centres. The Treatment is to wash the affected sting area with SEA water and then apply ice. People also recommend vinegar or urine as the acid content neutralizes the alkali content!!  The numbers of Jelly fish have reduced along the Costa Tropical from last year and the authorities have improved the measures to protect the swimmers including instructing cleaning boats to target the stinging menaces.

21 July 2006

80 hectares of scrub land was burnt in a large fire outside Motril. Firefighters battled over twenty hours to get the blaze under control. The whole Costa Tropical area is on fire alert after the very dry spell as is the whole of Andalucia.

11th July 2006

Measures put in place to regenerate the marine flora in La Herradura has proved a huge success with pictures released by the department responsible for Costa Tropicals marine protection showing substantial plant life growth within 18 months in the La Herradura bay and also in Cerro Gordo. 

10th July 2006

Lobres has finished asphalting its main carretera del Canal and its a huge improvement for traffic flow in and out of Lobres. 

9th July 2006

Floating diving platforms have arrived in the Costa Tropical much to the delight of the tourists. The platforms with spring boards and slides are proving a big hit with families and teenagers and are positioned near the peñon in Salobrena and St. Cristobal beach in Almunecar.

8th July 2006

Ten people had to be rescued from a yacht near Motril. The had been travelling up and down the Granada coastline known as the Costa Tropical. No injuries were reported. The Junta de Andalucia are considering new measures for marine safety.

7th July 2006

The health center in Almunecar which has been open for several months still does not have any specialists consultants and only GPs. The Junta de Andalucia has stated that consultants will arrive in September but in the meantime any serious cases will be referred to Motril.

6th July 2006

The Ministry for the Interior for Andalucia have started to sell of all the military watch towers some of which are 800 years old to the local councils for prices ranging from 6,000 in Gualchos to 200,000 euros in La Rabita. These atalayas are not being offered to the public but if they are we will let you know. 

Check this page out for all the latest property bargains for sale in the Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia, Spain 

28th June 2006

Bird flu officially arrives in Andalucia , but health officials say there is no risk to humans. The only risk at this point is to the wild bird population in the many reserves around Andalucia. This has not affected the Costa Tropical.

17th June 2006

SPANISH authorities are to adopt a ‘name and shame’ policy aimed at punishing property owner for failing to comply with the country’s tax laws. Andalucia in particular.

Not knowing about the legal and tax issues surrounding a purchase in Spain, isn’t likely to remain an acceptable excuse as authorities in Spain are beginning to clamp down on tax offender. One of their tactics involves ‘naming and shaming’ guilty parties. This measure involves publishing the names and addresses of all those people  in the ‘Boletin Official’ — a Government newspaper, which is published daily. In addition to this, names and addresses will also be posted on the internet, on each of the Spanish regions websites. 

 If the guilty parties still don’t clear their tax bills after having their names published, the authorities will then publish a statement that they are to proceed with an embargo — or legal charge — or in some circumstances with the seizure of the property.

“It is now imperative for any owners of Spanish property who didn’t seek independent legal advice when buying their property to have the title checked out to ensure that they actually own the property and that there aren’t any claims or threat to it. The property developer’s lawyer cannot be deemed independent and we cannot stress how important it is that when purchasing property overseas one should always use an independent lawyer, just as they would at home.” 

If this matter effects you contact us. 

28th May 2006

The Spanish cabinet have approved the draft of a new land law which the Spanish government hopes will counteract Spanish real estate speculation which is one of the causes of the high price of property in Spain.

Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega, the Vice-president of Spain, said the law will help to secure more land for building “vivienda de protección oficial”, i.e. low-cost housing and made available to first-time buyers with low salaries. As Spanish real estate speculation has increased in recent years, it has reduced the amount of subsidised Spanish housing.

Fernandez de la Vega said “The new law reinforces public intervention, redefine citizens’ rights and duties, guarantee greater respect for the environment, establish greater funds for vivienda protegida and improve the regulation of public ownership of land”. 

This new law will make Spanish building promotors take into account special needs and environmentally friendly measures in all new Spanish property. This is good news for everyone as it will curb endless holiday home developments which may remain empty for most of the year and has caused problems in some areas of Spain. 

23rd May 2006

Spanish water companies give promises of high service standards or they could face penalties upto 2.5 euros the equivalent of 10,000 litres of water. Wow that should take care of any problems in future. The full deal should be in place at the end of the year.

18th May 2006

Work by Spanish developers has halted on the proposed hotel site in Cotobro, Almuñecar. More Roman ruins have been discovered and the developers cant find the Roman well which was allegedly to be preserved! Investigations are under way, so watch this space. If any one finds a spare Roman well let us know they might need one!

17th May 2006

A suspected outbreak of Legionaires disease that broke out at the Najarra hotel, effecting a group of pensioners from Cataluña is still being investigated. No deaths were caused but 14 people were admitted to hospital.

15th May 2006

The planned sub aqua park in Almuñecar is on hold in a wrangle with the Junta de Andalucia in Seville over funding.

12th May 2006

There are still on going wranglings over the developement next to the Roman Aqueduct in Torrecueves where the Ecologistas en Accion have reported that the works are undermining the aqueduct. A report by Seprona (a branch of the guardia who investigate such matters) has said there is no damage. I guess we will have to wait for the aquaduct to fall down before the town hall intervene in this matter.

7th May 2006

Great news the Rules Dam is finished and filling with water. The bad news is they have not fitted the pipes needed to get the water from the dam to where it is needed in the villages and farms further south. Acuamed the water authority have stated that work on the pipes wont start until 2008 at the earliest. Who knows the dam may be effective by 2012 if we are lucky. Good job this isn´t the south of England or we would be in trouble. 

 27th April 2006

It is estimated that Britons own another 260,000 abroad and a report from Savills indicates that there is also a growing enthusiasm for owning a second property.

As reported by the Daily Mail, the total of 600,000 second homes owned by Brits and it is a trend that experts suggest will only escalate as levels of disposable income rise.

Furthermore, increasing numbers are purchasing a second property with a view to supplementing income, with buy-to-let mortgages growing in popularity in the UK.

Rental demand is  high across the UK but many investors are also tempted by the prospect of renting out a property abroad, with the likes of Spain and France particularly lucrative because of a steady demand from the tourist market.The strongest area being Andalucia.

Investors often see Spain as the most sensible choice, especially Andalucia, due to the increasing number of budget airlines opening new routes throughout to the country.

A study carried out last year by Savills Private Finance found that Spain remains a hot favourite among investors hoping to combine pleasure and profit. With  Spanish banks now catching onto the idea of non resident mortgages and interest rates up to half the level in the uk it doesnt take a financial genius to realise it makes good sense.

Of those who have bought a second home abroad, around one in four decided on Spain.Of those over 60% chose Andalucia. Most plan to spend around six months in their overseas property during the winter months, which clearly leaves the summer months to maximise the rental potential. July and August alone can realise a gross return of 2.5%. With mortgage rates starting at 2.85% it makes a great financial investment.

Owning a second home undoubtedly offers a range of benefits from convenient holiday breaks to the financial benefits of investment. For a mixture of both factors, it seems certain that the number of Brits owning a second property will continue to rise into the foreseeable future, while there are no signs of the current enthusiasm for buy-to-let abating. With a lack of other investment vehicles at present property will continue to shine.

21st April 2006

Government figures released over the weekend show that Malaga is the second most expensive city for average property prices with €2,145.5  compared to Barcelona´s €2,464.6 per square metre. In Andalucia the increase was an average of 14.1% at €1,587.4 per metre.

21st April 2006 

Spain has regained top spot from Turkey and Greece for European holidays.

"On assessing confirmed bookings we see Spain is the destination of choice, ahead of other countries," said Paul Reeve of Holidays-Direct.

"The phrases that visitors use to find our  site are searching for also point to Spain being the top country as it features in a huge number of searches.

Paul Reeve, Holidays-Direct: "Spain is definitely established in the consumers' minds as a value-for-money destination for families where you're guaranteed to get good weather. The fact that holidaymakers can get to Spain from over a dozen UK airports is another big factor, especially for people with young children as it helps keep travelling time to a minimum."

He also stated that another reason for the high number of bookings is the buoyant Spanish property market and the fact that many UK residents own homes in Spain.

22nd April 2006 

The average price of housing in Spain keeps rising. To the end of March, prices were 12% higher than a year ago at an average cost of 1,877 € per square metre.
Last year prices rose 12.8% and in 2004 the increase was 17.2%. Above average increases were seen along the Mediterranean Coastline and also in Aragón and Galicia.

21st April 2006 

Hacienda tax authorities has announced that in future the NIF of the promoter must be supplied when purchasers make payments for off-plan property. The NIF number will be needed for tax reductions to be available for purchasers in new legislation from next year.

21st April 2006

Even though European law looked set to intervene in the Valencia land grab scandal little has changed. Regional government promised to ammend the Ley Reguladora de la Actividad Urbanistica (LRAU) 1994, and indeed produced ammendments which came into force in February 2006. Despite 15,000 strong petitions and condemnation by MEPs the ammendments only give a longer notice period of intended developement and doesn´t reduce the developers power to change land usage.

Earlier this year, Valencia's land-grab laws looked to be history, but the threat to homeowners in this part of eastern Spain is as real as it ever seemed.
The regional government promised action late last year to amend the Ley Reguladora de la Actividad Urbanistica (LRAU), a 1994 law allowing developers to compulsorily purchase homes and re-designate land for development. Politicians had been stung by fierce condemnation of the LRAU by the European Parliament after MEPs had received a 15,000-signature petition from affected owners and urged a moratorium on future development until a new law gave greater rights to residents.

'A law is being abused and people are being exploited,' says Michael Cashman, a Labour MEP'An un-transparent and complicated law is being exploited by unscrupulous businesses and officials in Valencia.'

The law was introduced to stop large estate holders blocking future growth and developement for infrastructure etc. , but so far has only been used to compulsory purchase homes at agricultural prices , to build apartments and golf courses. The fight will continue into the courts of European Rights. In the meantime the official advice is get good professional advice before buying in this region.

19th April 2006

According to Manilva council Walt Disney are considering a new Disney theme park in the Malaga province. This would be a huge bonus for the whole of the Andalucia and the south of Spain for both inward investment and tourism. The site of the 247 acre Selwo Park was originally earmarked for a Euro Disney but the American company thought that Paris would be better. They now concede this may have been a mistake. No!!

 19th April 2006

Ryanair are opening more new routes into Granada and hope to bring in 240,000 visitors to Granada this year. A consortium of businesses in conjunction with the Granada tourist board have agree to pay €966,000 to extend their publicity accord with Ryanair.

19th April 2006

Unions have made several more requests for a full investigation into the bridge disater that killed 6 workers in Almuñécar last November. They want all the structural calculations checked.

19th April 2006

Almost one third of Brits are interested in buying or moving abroad according to a new survey by Banco Halifax Hispania. They have also reported an increase in people looking to buy in Andalucia, Spain that they are increasing their network of branches from 14 to 20.

April 18 2006 

Immigrants are helping to sustain Spains building industry boom

By Leslie Crawford in Madrid 
www.ft.com
Immigrants are emerging as a powerful new force in the Spanish economy, boosting demand for new housing, which in turn is sustaining the country’s long construction boom, according to analyst reports.