By David Eade
The development of the controversial Los Merinos golf, residential and luxury hotel project in Ronda has been idle for 19 months. The Catalan company Copisa halted the work because of the down turn in the property market. However it has been scrupulous in maintaining its payments to the town hall due under the town planning agreement.
So far it has handed over 11 payments, the latest of 866,000 euros, just before Christmas. This means the municipal coffers have benefited to date from payments of 11.6 million euros for a development that does not exist.
Indeed just weeks ago Copisa issued a statement saying it had no immediate plans for re-commencing the project. Mayor Antonio Marín says the company had justified the halt on the economic crisis and although it has so far handed over nearly 12 million euros to the town hall the cost of the overall scheme is far more.
Initial work has been carried out on the land but no construction of the 800 villas, three luxury hotels or two golf courses plus all the other leisure infrastructure has been carried out. The mayor says Copisa has already spent 103 million euros with just 50 million to go.
The major problem would appear to be the very legality of the development. Ecologists and residents of the zone such as Cuevas del Becerro – which is far nearer to the project than Ronda’s urban area – fears it will drain their water aquifers which have supplied local agriculture and homes for generations.
Indeed the Andalucía government is taking legal action to have the development halted. There are also questions over whether the mayor of Ronda acted legally in granting permission for the scheme. If the Copisa project is halted then would it demand a return of the payments to the town hall – which have been spent – plus compensation for its multi million investment?
NEARLY THERE
Ronda will soon have its first youth hostel. The building’s located on 2,138 square metres surrounded by 1,200 square metres of green zone on the calles Guadalcobacín and Fernando de los Rios. Spread over three floors it will be able to accommodate 74 people with special access for the handicapped. The project has a budget of 781,849 euros and will use renewable energy.
BRIDGE INSTALLED
Dramatic scenes at La Dehesa in Ronda last week as the bridge for the new intersection on the road linking the town with Sevilla was put in to place and will be operation by February 15. It is all part of the major improved access programme funded by the regional government costing over 13 million euros which is about 70 per cent complete.
ENGLISH WALK
Ronda’s Paseo de los Ingleses runs for three kilometres along the Cornisas del Tajo. Once again its one of the major tourism spots in the town. Sadly the dramatic walkway had fallen into neglect and been vandalised in recent years. Now with over 300,000 euros funding from the ICO for tourist projects the footpath has been fully re-laid, with new furnishings and lighting.
NOT GUILTY
The man accused of starting the fire that engulfed 16 hectares of wooded land at Los Frontones in Ronda on August 28 2007 has been found not guilty by a jury. The cost to the environment was 67,000 euros plus the major expense of tackling the blaze. If found guilty he would have faced a five year jail term and a massive fine.
BRIDGE VIEW
Ronda’s famous Puente Nuevo over the Tajo will now be able to be seen around the world in real time over the internet. The tourist office is installing cameras having contracted a telecommunications company to offer the service. However it’s not only the bridge that will be displayed but also the plaza de España, the calle Virgen de la Paz and La Merced.
FURIOUS RESIDENTS
Residents of Llanos de Aguaya in Ronda are furious over the damaged to their local lane. Three years ago they clubbed together to spend 30,000 euros relaying the surface of the road. Now they say it’s been destroyed with the delegation of Málaga province to blame. It has heavy equipment in the area which has used the road and dug up the surface.
DANGEROUS ROAD
The Guardia Civil has issued a warning over the dangerous state of the MA 7401 that links Ronda with Benaojan and is the responsibility of Málaga province. It has been the scene of two fatal accidents in recent weeks both claiming residents of Montejaque with another in February 2009 and all on the stretch as the road passes the Cueva del Gato.
CASTLE WORK
The ministry of public works is funding four projects in Málaga province one of which will see El Burgo’s Miraflores castle restored. The ministry will be allocating over a million euros for the project which will come from its special ‘1per cent Cultura’ fund. In addition the regional government will allocate the same amount on restoring one of the major monuments in the area.
OLIVE HARVEST
Sixty-per-cent of the olive harvest in Ronda is now in. Five million kilos will be collected which will be processed into a million kilos of oil. The quality this year will be excellent as compared with the last season that suffered from the heavy rains and winds. Also more workers have returned to the sector having been laid off by the construction industry.
CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH
People from Ronda and the surrounding Serranía who want to study English through the Cambridge University courses can now do so without leaving the town. The Escuela de Hostelería that has been established in the Casino in the calle Molino will be organising the four year courses. Pupils can now enrol for the first course – the closing date for candidates is January 21.
