EROSKI INVESTS 120 MILLION EUROSEroski is to invest 120 million euros in creating its new commercial centre in Ronda. This is 18 million euros more that was at first anticipated. The plans for the massive complex were unveiled last week at a meeting at the town hall between Ronda’s mayor Antonio Marín and officials from Eroski led by its director general of expansion, Alfonso Fernández.
The Ronda development will be almost 50 per cent larger than its existing one in Antequera. It will create 1,000 direct jobs plus 300 people will be employed during the construction phase. The construction timetable was estimated at between 18 and 24 months but Eroski is confident it can reduce that to 14 to 18 months.
The mayor of Ronda said he believed the construction would start before the summer once the licences had been issued and the new local development plan (PGOU) has been passed. A special meeting of Ronda council last Friday approved the use of the former sports complex on which the centre will stand to be used for commercial purposes.
The shopping centre will cover 73,100 square metres an increase on the 65,000 square metres initially announced. Some 32,000 square metres will be allocated to parking with 1,724 spaces. The hypermarket will occupy 8,000 square metres, 15,000 square metres will be given over to a shopping mall with fashion outlets, 6,000 square metres for a cinema complex plus leisure and catering zones with the remainder being assigned to various services.
The Eroski supermarket will occupy the land of the former fair ground whilst the other elements will be located on the football stadium with an underground walkway connecting the two centres.
BENARRABÁ AND CORTES FOR THE BIRDS
From April the Serranía de Ronda village of Benarrabá will be part of a bird zone described as one of the best in Andalucía as it is on the migration route to the north.
The initiative was announced by the deputy for development and promotion, Jesús Mora, who visited the area with the deputy for inter-municipality services, Francisco Márques. The project is a route of two hours known as the Concoste – La Portá that will be able to be taken from Benarrabá.
Funding comes from the Spanish and Andalucía governments as well as Málaga province to the tune of 4.5 million euros which is to boost tourism in all 22 municipalities in the Serranía. The deputies also visited part of Los Alcornocales national park in Cortes de la Frontera where a recreational zone has been created and visitors centre. Cortes is on the ornithology route and has zones for the feeding of carrion birds.
Cortes will also have a cork museum under this investment scheme which will see money being spent on creating a museum in Gaucín castle dedicated to the War of Independence.
INFANTE CLASSES
Ronda council approved unopposed a proposal that it is one of the town’s in which celebrations will be held to commemorate the 125 th anniversary of the birth of Blas Infante – the father of the modern Andalucía. Infante has close links with Ronda so it has also asked that the Andalucía education ministry ensures that the history of Infante is studied in schools.
TUMOURS FOUND
The Serranía health authority has uncovered 60 breast cancer tumours over the last 10 years. In that period it has tested 5,979 women aged between 50 and 60 years under its Precoz detection programme. The consultancies take place at the Ronda Sur health centre whilst the mammograms are carried out at the local hospital. Women in outlying villages receive appointments by hand.
ANTEQUERA LINK
The president of the Partido Popular in Andalucía, Javier Arenas, speaking in Ronda promoted the idea of a motorway between the town and Antequera. He stated that such a high speed road was necessary for the economic development of the town of the Tajo. He also took the opportunity to take a swipe at the Spanish premier saying for him Andalucía didn’t exist.
ENDANGERED WALLS
Last October the alert was issued about the poor state of Ronda’s ancient walls. Now the tourism department has estimated the cost of putting the walls in good order at one million euros. This amount is beyond the scope of Ronda’s battered coffers so it is seeking the help of the regional government in preserving one of the most historic sites in Andalucía.
NO MONEY
Gaucín cannot pay its municipal workers for the month of February. The monthly wage bill is over 100,000 euros and the town hall says it simply does not have the money. This is the second time the workforce has gone unpaid in the past six months. Needless to say the PSOE opposition has criticised the management of the municipality by the PP – PA coalition.
HOLY LIGHTS
The foundation of the Sevillana Endesa electricity company has signed an agreement with Ronda town hall that will see it taking over the responsibility for the artistic interior lighting of the chapel at the Convento de Santo Domingo. The convent by the Tajo bridge is an exhibition and conference centre and 64 lights will be installed in the chapel at ten different points.
