Sierra Nevada - Ski Season Begins

With clear blue skies and temperatures just below zero, the ski season in Granada's Sierra Nevada opened last week. Ten kilometres of the total 84 kilometres of runs were open on eight of the 79 pistes.

The resort is hoping to run at 86 per cent capacity, while the hotel nearest the ski slopes was expecting 41 per cent occupation at the opening quickly to rise to 83 per cent.

Snow was lying between 20 and 40 centimetres deep as the season's first 4,000 enthusiasts arrived to take up their reservations on December 1. Amongst improvements this year, Cetsura, the public company which operates the ski station, has installed four latest-design "cannons" for the production of snow, as well as an ice-rink and other innovations. The 150-day season continues until May 1.

Alhaurin de la Torre - Council Approves New Projects

Alhaurin de la Torre Council has recently awarded contracts to several different companies to carry out projects in the town, which will add up to a total cost of 1.5 million euros. These projects include covering the terrace of the indoor sports centre to make a martial arts room, which will cost 300,000 euros, and building a new road to link the two phases of the industrial estate, at a cost of 58,500 euros. A new store is to be built for municipal workers at the depot in Carranque, and improvement works are to be carried out in the Paredillas and Estrella de Arroyo Gragea districts. Before the end of the year, the Council also hopes to agree the contracts for a social centre at Retamar and Capellanía, to extend the centre at El Romeral, and to build spa facilities alongside the indoor swimming pool which is currently under construction. These three projects are likely to cost about 2.5 million euros

Malaga - New Commercial District

Work is due to begin in January on the construction of a huge commercial district beside the Plaza Mayor centre in the Guadalmar area of Málaga, and some of the stores, including Ikea, are scheduled to open within a year. Ikea will have 20,000 square metres of display space, which could be enlarged in the future, and a 2,400-space car park. Three other stores specialising in items for the home are also planned alongside. Next to Plaza Mayor will be the Málaga Shopping complex, consisting of 17,000 square metres of shops and restaurants, which will be an extension to the existing commercial centre, and Jardiland, a French gardening and DIY store, is also expected to open there. Although it has not yet been confirmed which other businesses are interested in the commercial district, there is speculation that the Boulanger electrical and electronics firm and the Eroski hypermarket may be among them.

Malaga - Real Estate Exhibition ‘A Huge Success’

The five-day Mediterranean Real Estate Exhibition, recently held for the second year at the city’s prestigious new convention centre, brought together 114 businesses in the sector for a series of lectures and round-table discussions on the state of the foreign property market in the region.

Sr José Prado, President of the Association of Constructors and Promoters, confirmed that the region has enjoyed another dynamic year with increases generating a total of 405,000 direct and 610,000 indirect jobs, which together constitute 15 per cent of the workforce of the region. Málaga’s Mayor, Francisco de la Torre who opened the fair, talked of its ability to boost business which was important to the economy of Andalucía.

Figures show that the first fair last year, which attracted 15,000 visitors and generated around 20 million euros of new business, has been massively superseded with around 70,000 visitors during the week plus at least a doubling in the volume of business.

The foreign property sector was estimated to be worth 3.5 billion euros last year, three times its value in 1995, while house prices have risen around an average of 90 per cent in the same period, according to Funcas, the Savings Banks Foundation. Construction this year is estimated to have risen by 10 per cent with prices up by an average of 16 per cent.

At 52 per cent of all foreign buyers, Britons make up the biggest national group buying property in the region, followed by the Germans and the French on 22 and eight per cent respectively. Barclays Bank recently estimated that a million more Britons were actively planning to buy property in Spain, joining around 300,000 who already spend all or most of the year on the Costa del Sol.

Reforms to the pension schemes in the UK also augur well for the Spanish real estate market. For the first time, people taking part in self-invested personal pension plans (SIPPs) will be able to put money into residential property at home or abroad, which could include buy-to-let properties or holiday homes. The new legislation is due to come into force next April.

Torrox - New Golf Course

A new 18 hole golf course to be built next to the Axarquía's future marina. Torrox Town Council have given definitive approval to plans submitted by Calaceite Golf S.L. for the development of a 2.3 million square metre site close to the new marina which will be constructed on the border of Torrox and Nerja. The new course is to be designed to be capable of staging top class professional events.

La Baranda Apartments – Entire Project for Sale

The project is located in Montemar, Torremolinos and consists of 42 apartments in which 18 are one-room apartment-studios and 24 are two-room apartments. The apartments share a communal swimming pool and a beautiful ample garden.

Every unit comes with fitted kitchen, terraces, safe, solar heating system, fire system and furnished. Each apartment is finished to the highest standard using only top quality materials.

La Baranda development offers splendid ocean views. With its location, this development does not only guaranty beauty, tranquillity and comfort in its peaceful surroundings, but also a new lifestyle and higher quality of life for all the family.

Promoter is selling entire project for a very attractive price.

El Vicario II – New Development

El Vicario 11 is located to the municipality of Ojen and consists of 60 luxurious apartments of two and three bedrooms in a Mediterranean style and located in Elviria next to La Mairena.

The complex enjoys excellent climate, the presence of nature is clearly. Green areas and forests provide the perfect scenery to enjoy tranquillity and nature. The urbanization is 5 minutes drive from the best sandy beaches in the area, several premier golf courses and clubhouses.

El Vicario is located at only 15 minutes from the centre of Marbella, 20 minutes from Puerto Banús, 25 minutes from the airport in Málaga and 45 minutes to Gibraltar, has been built to the highest quality standards. You will find Spanish tradition and culture every day of the year in proximate cities like Ronda and Marbella. El Vicario has a comfortable access from the CN-340, km 192.

The apartments are now totally finished and ready to move in. It offers 138.05 m2 up to 167.80 m2 total built size and the sale prices are between 266.240€ up to 317.100€.
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Pama II & Pama III – New Developments

Pama 11 and Pama 111 are located in Torrox Costa, on the East side of Malaga towards Nerja. True Spanish country life has merged with the modern cosmopolitan way of life in this region.

You will find the perfect link between the past and the present, between tradition and modern living. Feel the spirit of history in Andalucia and the Costa del Sol.

Both complexes are made up of apartments with sea and mountain views.
View more info on Pama 11