Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)THE proposed marina in La Cala will be of worldwide note, claims the team behind the development.
Marina Mijas SL hopes to create a site that will bring the region to the “frontline” of international ports.
The area earmarked for development is to the east of the urban area.
Labelled a leisure port, the plans include 800 to 1000 berths ranging in size from five metres to 100m, two docking bays for cruise ships and a helicopter landing pad.
The marina should also incorporate facilities for fishing vessels, with around 50 berths and a fish market.
The team behind the project also has wider aspirations to develop the area, with the creation of new hotels, shops, bars, cafes and nightclubs.
There are no plans to build housing alongside it.
The reasons behind the development rest on the calculation that along the Andalucian coast the current 13,000 docks are near capacity, with talk among seafarers of a “moorings shortage”.
Currently Spain ranks second in Europe for its number of ports, following France with a total of 84,000 moorings.
Central to the proposal is the “urban”, “cultural” and “futurist” design by Gilbert Barbany of Barbany’s
Architects Study of Madrid. Barbany hopes to integrate the natural surroundings of the site with the practicalities of a modern and fully-functioning marina.
The developers are not blind to the possible issues created with a project of this scale and nature. On their website, Marina Mijas SL identify the loss of a fishing area and a substantial area of beach, impacting the natural beauty of the site.
Marina Mijas SL also identifies the increased congestion in the area and extra noise.
The company hopes that these concerns will be offset by the benefits to tourism and the facilities provided to fishermen.
Carmen Morales, a local resident originally from Yorkshire, was enthusiastic about the plans: “There has been a lot of talk about the new marina. I feel this will be of great benefit to the town and will hopefully be a huge boost for tourism”.
Sounds like Puorto Banus MK 2, look how thats tunrned out, durgs, gangs, prostetution and loads of loud obnoxious drunk people. NO THANKS.
A marina on this scale would destroy the area, something more like Cabopino would fit much better.
It should be the choice of the people living on the Mijas Costa and I think most people don’t want it, but gread and back handers will see the marina built no matter what the people vote.
Marinas can work. Marina del Este is a beautiful “boutique marina” on the Costa Tropical (just a pity it is becoming a bit run down in the recession.) Some places can definitely be spoilt, especially by all those vulture-like estate agents who take over the place flogging “distressed properties”, eh Glen?
If it goes ahead its a matter for the Spanish people to decide, it is in Spain after all.
If it goes through, its for the local residents to decide. As they live there, regardless of nationality.
In my opinion though, makes more sense to develop the Fuengirola marina to these standards and make La Cala follow more along hte lines of Cabopino.
Tell that to the Spanish government as they pull down the (non spanish) local residents homes, maybe its something to do with “we`ll have what we want” in someone elses country attitude that creates issues.
drugs drunks another banus you cant move there now keep the beach or have something like cabapino