Costa del Sol News - 20th May 2013

News from Andalucia & Costa del Sol

News Archive In association with

The Costa del Sol weekly newspaper, on sale at newsagents.


Marbella building ‘biggest dog park in Andalucía’

Work is underway at the 12,000-square-metre site in Nagüeles

By Oliver McIntyre

DOG owners in Marbella will soon have a large area where they can take their animals to romp and play off-leash.

The town hall has launched of work on a nearly 12,000-square-metre dog park that it says will be “the biggest in Andalucía”.

Mayor Ángeles Muñoz last week visited the site in Nagüeles along with representatives of the Triple A and Peludos associations, which had lobbied for the creation of a dog park in the town.


Two fire trucks in four-vehicle pile-up

One firefighter was injured and had to be extracted from truck

By Oliver McIntyre

TWO Fuengirola fire trucks were involved in a four-vehicle pile-up on the A7 in the town last week. One firefighter was injured in the accident, which happened shortly 11am on Wednesday near kilometre 211.

It is understood that a lorry and the fire trucks were driving in the right-hand lane when a car tried to merge onto the A7, causing the lorry driver to brake hard and resulting in the four-vehicle collision involving the car, the lorry and the two fire trucks.


Home sales rise 15% in first quarter despite March drop

Boost in January and February may be carryover from before tax hikes

By Oliver McIntyre

HOME sales in Málaga province increased by 15% in the first quarter of this year, with 5,035 sales compared to 4,383 in the same period of 2012.

However, the figures from the National Statistics Institute (INE) show that the boost really came in January and February, while figures for the month of March were actually down by 31% to 894 sales compared to 1,290 during the same month last year.

Both January and February posted more than 2,000 sales.


Contract awarded for Mijas Pueblo’s ‘transformation’

€4.85 million project will see redesign of main plazas and central streets

By Oliver McIntyre

MIJAS town hall has awarded the 4.85 million-euro contract for a series of works that it says will see Mijas Pueblo undergo “the greatest transformation in its history”.

The wide scope of the work was made possible by the town hall’s decision to encourage companies bidding on the project to not submit offers with the lowest possible price, but rather to offer to perform works in addition to those included in the formal project, said officials.

The core project includes a total redesign of Plaza Virgen de la Peña and major upgrades to Avenida de Méjico, El Compás, Plaza de la Constitucíon and Calles Coín, Campos and Barrio de Santana.


Morocco-Spain baby trafficking network uncovered

Network brought babies to Melilla where they were sold to Spanish couples

By Oliver McIntyre

THE Gaurdia Civil has for the first time uncovered a baby trafficking network after detecting a total of 28 cases of babies from Morocco being brought into the Spanish enclave of Melilla and sold into mainland Spain with false documentation indicating they were the biological children of their new parents.

THE Gaurdia Civil has for the first time uncovered a baby trafficking network after detecting a total of 28 cases of babies from Morocco being brought into the Spanish enclave of Melilla and sold into mainland Spain with false documentation indicating they were the biological children of their new parents.


HOMES SAVED

Málaga welcomes new coastal law but environmentalists thrash it

By Dave Jamieson

THE new Coastal Act approved by the government last week has come has a huge relief to residents in the Málaga suburbs of El Palo and Pedregalejo where the status of over 500 homes can now be regularised – though environmentalists have sharply criticised the move.

The legislation allows the residents to take ownership of the properties and to make alterations which do not affect their area or height. The change applies to a total of around 1,200 homes, 50 hotels and almost 400 beach bars and restaurants in the province of Málaga.


Mijas crocodile died from stomach haemorrhage

Internal bleeding was caused by swallowing rocks and a piece of rubber foam

By Oliver McIntyre

THE Nile crocodile that was found dead last month in the Majada Vieja zone of Mijas died from an internal haemorrhage caused by rocks and a piece of foam rubber it had ingested, according to the necropsy results.

The crocodile was found dead near the outlet of one of the manmade ponds at Majada Vieja on April 16 after authorities had been searching for a large reptile in the zone since two members of the public initially spotted it in February. It had a bump on the head but that did not appear to be the cause of death.


Metro decision brings continued opposition

Junta’s decision for overground track saves money but enrages locals

By Dave Jamieson

THE decision of the regional government to force the next phase of the Málaga metro to be built over-ground (CDSN last week) has brought strong reactions. The president of the Partido Popular in Málaga, Elías Bendodo, has called for demonstrations to protest against what he called “clear aggression of the Junta de Andalucía towards the will of the people of Málaga,” while the Izquierda Unida coalition has suggested a public referendum.

Phase 2 of the city’s new metro system, which will extend Lines 1 and 2 from the Renfe railway station to the bullring, La Malagueta, is to be built overground. Málaga’s Partido Popular mayor, Francisco de la Torre, with the support of many business leaders and residents, had argued that it should be routed underground to preserve the character of the city centre, including Alameda Principal through which the metro will now run.

The regional government, which is socialist controlled, said that the final decision, taken after six months of negotiation with the town hall, was based mainly on cost considerations. The overground route will cost an estimated 41.5 million euros, compared with 200 million euros to build underground tunnels.


Former British SAS member in paramilitary gang arrest

The robbery gang raided the same Mallorca shopping centre on three occasions

By David Eade

FIVE members of a paramilitary gang that on three occasions have carried out raids on the same commercial centre in Palma de Mallorca are now in police custody. Amongst the five is said to be a former member of the British SAS.

The National Police swooped on the gang, which is also linked to home robberies with violence, in Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona.


Taking Spain to European court

Expats on brink of losing home invoke human rights law

By Emma Randle

A BRITISH couple is set to fight a demolition order on their house in Albox, Almería, through the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

The retired expats, who do not wish to be named, has made the initial application to the ECHR though their solicitor, Gerard Vázquez of Mojacar, in a last ditch stand against a final demolition order issued last November.

The couple is supported by property rights association Auan, whose president, Maura Hillen, said: “We believe this case is the first of many against Spain for not respecting the fundamental right to private property.”

The couple’s nightmare began some 10 years ago, when the building licence for their house, issued by Albox town council in 2002, was revoked by the Junta of Andalucía in 2003. The house was built on rustic land, in the days when permission for residences on rustic land was possible, according to Sr Vázquez, but was challenged on the grounds that it risked creating an urban nucleus.