Campo fires in Mijas and Fuengirola

A forest fire in Mijas on Thursday led to 20 homes having to be evacuated as fire affected some 15 hectares of shrub.

Some 90 residents of the town were affected in total. It happened in the Cerrado del Águila area, affecting the La Rosa and El Chaparral urbanisations. Finally no property was affected and there are no reports of any injuries.

Three helicopters and a fire-fighting plane were used by INFOCA firefighters, together with support from Mijas local police, fire service and Guardia Civil. It brings the number of fires in the Mijas area to four in the last two months, and police think all of them were started deliberately.

Meanwhile there was another smaller file in Fuengirola in the area of the Las Salinas industrial estate close to the Safa motor company.

Source: www.typicallyspanish.com

Investors in Mijas hopeful of an amnesty for illegal properties

Real estate investors in Spain whose properties have been affected by the crackdown on illegal planning are hopeful that an amnesty is on the horizon.

They say that the sheer number of properties that have been apparently built on the nod of corrupt officials will make it unlikely that they will all be demolished.

In Malaga alone it is estimated that 40,000 properties were built illegally at the height of the planning law corruption boom.

Marbella is expected to be among the first to announce an amnesty for around 20,000 illegal properties. Malaga is also considering such a move. Salvador Pendón, president of Malaga's Provincial Council, has told property owners privately that he expects to make an announcement soon as many of the illegal properties are not built on protected land.

But on cases where vast blocks of concrete apartments were built on protected land demolition will go ahead eventually, he also said.

'Things are looking more hopeful. I think the authorities are realising at last the demolishing all these properties will not only cost a lot of money but also in many cases simply does not make sense as they are not on beaches or protected land,' said James Jones who owns a property under threat in Malaga.

In Mijas the mayor, Antonio Sánchez, has announced that the town hall will no longer fine owners of illegal properties who fail to carry out demolition orders. Owners will be given breathing space of around a year and a half before a new town plan is passed that will make many of the properties legal.

Meanwhile the latest Spanish property price figures show further declines. The May property index Tinsa, one of Spain's leading appraisal companies.

Prices fell by 9.8% over 12 months to the end of May with coastal areas suffering the most with an average price fall of 12.8%. Cities and provincial capitals saw a 10.1% decline with the suburbs seeing a downturn of 9.6% and the Balearics and Canary Islands a 9.8% fall.

40,000 homes set to be made legal in Málaga province

The properties are in the Axarquía, Marbella, Mijas and Mijas Costa

The Málaga provincial Government, La Diputación, together with Marbella and Mijas Town Halls, has announced plans to bring 40,000 houses built illegally into legality.

The properties include those in inland Axarquía as well as those along the coast, with the President of the Diputación, Salvador Pendón, saying on Tuesday that the illegally built property could be saved in the Axarquía, but that he did not understand why talk in the region was of ‘charging the Mayors’ when in Marbella alone the talk is of 30,000 homes being legalized.

Pendón said that the Regional Council for Territorial Planning and Housing Department was ‘implicated’ in a favourable solution, as they have seen ‘certain possibilities of doing so’. Demolitions are only likely in ‘certain concrete cases’.

La Opinión de Málaga reports that Mayor of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz, has given an undertaking that there will be no demolitions, while in Mijas the Mayor, Antonio Sánchez, has announced that no more fines will be issued while the new PGOU Urban Plan is being revised.

However the latest PGOU draft plan for Marbella was returned to the Town Hall for its second approval this week. Approval is expected next month, and 18,000 homes will thus be brought into legality. However La Opinión reports that this draft does not include some 1,000 illegally built homes in the municipality, including 400 which are described by Muñoz as being ‘especially sensitive’ given that they have been occupied for years. They are the 300 or so apartments in Banana Beach, and two developments in El Alcate and Rio Real.

Meanwhile it has been revealed that the Junta de Andalucía is to authorize as many as 4,000 new homes to the north of the motorway in Rincón de la Victoria, although an urbanization of 500 villas has been rejected.

Source: www.typicallyspanish.com

Socialists hold on to Andalucía in EU elections

The Socialist party beat the PP in its stronghold of Andalucía in the EU vote on Sunday, with an eight point advantage. The Socialists obtained 1,250,208 votes, 47.92% in the region, compared to the 1,038,656 votes, 39.81% obtained by the Partido Popular.

The Socialists were the largest party in all the provinces of the region with the exception of Málaga and Almería. The left-wing and green coalition, IULV-CA, were the third force with 136,330 votes, 5.23 %.

Turnout was lower in Andalucía than nationally at 38.63%.

It was the first success for the new Socialist leader in Andalucía, José Antonio Griñán, who took over from Manuel Chaves three months ago.

In Málaga the PP saw a 13% swing to the PP, thanks to a surge in support for them along the coastal towns. The Socialist vote was 8% down while the PP saw a 5% jump. The PSOE won in 75 municipalities and the PP in 25, but the PP picked up the larger towns along the coast incuding, Nerja, Vélez-Málaga, Rincón de la Victoria, Málaga, Torremolinos, Fuengirola, Mijas Costa, Benalmádena, Marbella, Estepona and Manilva as well as the two Alhauríns and Coín.
The Socialists held Ronda and Antequera.

Source: www.typicallyspanish.com

Mijas International Festival June 13-14th

The festival will take place on Satturday June 13 and Sunday June 14

MIJAS will be turned into a world of colour on June 13 and 14 for the International Festival of Mijas. This festival is the transformation and fusion of the Mijas International Day and the Blues Festival, offering an unforgettable experience, where different cultures, races and gastronomy will blend into a new concept of integration.

The festival will be held in various parts of Mijas Village; the RED ZONE in the Virgen de la Peña main square, GREEN ZONE in the Plaza de la Constitucion and the BLUE ZONE in the open air auditorium and Muralla Gardens. The event will be inaugurated on Saturday at 12 noon and will run until midnight. On Sunday it will start at 12 noon and will finish at 7pm.

There will be a fantastic blues concert with international artists in the open air auditorium on Saturday night. On Sunday various small blues concerts will be held in the Blue Zone. Bands will be coming from Canada: Jimmy C and The Blues Dragons, UK: West Westons Bluesonics, USA: Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges – Mingo and Balaguer and The Blue Intruders and The Valvetones from Spain. On Friday June 12 a blues concert will be held at the Hotel Mijas at 9pm. All the concerts are free of charge.

Ethnical and folkloric performances and street parades will be held in all three zones from Egyptian belly dancing to Irish River Dance.

Eight stands will offer typical food and drink, and handcrafts. Two giant BBQs of Uruguay and Argentina will be set up, offering mouth watering BBQ meats. Cuban Mojitos, Brazilian tropical fruit cocktails, and Moroccan cakes are some of the delicacies that will be offered at the stands.

Workshops will be organised for adults and children, including Salsa dancing, making Peruvian bracelet’s, Bolivian dances and percussion, henna tattoos, Tam Tam drums from Senegal, belly dancing from Morocco…

A mini train will be available, with departures from the Blue Zone and Red Zone every 30 minutes.

Visit Mijas Costa

For more information contact the Foreigners Department, Mijas Town Hall

TEL: 952 589 010 or email frd@mijas.es

Source : www.euroweeklynews.com

Dramatic jewellery robbery in Mijas

The Mijas Diamond and Jewellery Centre was assaulted by three hooded individuals carrying hammers

Three jewellery thieves have made off with a haul estimated to be between 8,000 € and 20,000 € from a shop in Mijas pueblo, the Mijas Diamond and Jewellery Centre. The owner of the store was inside when the hooded thieves attacked carrying hammers.

Dee Iglesias, co-owner of the store told Diario Sur that her husband had tried to detain one of the theives without success; he was thrown to the floor.

Police say it was a professional operation with the thieves dressing as road workers and previously placing a no-entry sign in the Avenida de Méjico to ensure their getaway. A fourth member of the gang drove the getaway car which had been previously stolen and which was found shortly after the robbery.

Source www.typicallyspanish.com
Mijas Costa

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