Chloe Glover (Reporter)
A STRIKING new theatre will cost €1m more to build than expected.
Velez-Malaga’s council now expects to spend €9.5m on constructing its ambitious five storey edifice in Torre del Mar, the first theatre for the resort.
Juan Carlos Márquez, housing councillor, revealed the increased cost for the works, which are due to get underway this year in the Ensanche Oeste district and be completed by 2021.
Conferences and trade fairs will also be held at the futuristic looking white building, which will be 15,359msq in size.
The main theatre will have 527 seats, with large open-plan spaces planned to accommodate the other events.
A terrace has been planned for the third floor and spaces outside for 88 cars.
The amount of money to be dedicated this year to the construction has not been set but Márquez said the project would not stop planned work on two other cultural venues.
He committed to going ahead with delayed renovations to the Theatre Lope de Vega in Velez-Malaga, which it acquired in 2014, and the Mercovélez, which the council wants to turn into a multi-use events venue.
The plans have been met by opposition from council opposition party Partido Popular.
Councillor Francisco Delgado branded the large budget as ‘scandalous’ and ‘preposterous’ and questioned how the council planned to finance all the works.
He also cast doubt on the design of the new theatre, saying he believed the building would be ‘too tall.’
