MARBELLA URBAN PLAN

Marbella's future Urban Plan includes the construction of about 30,000 homes, of which 30% will be social housing in accordance with the law. The Plan has been drawn up by the Junta de Andalucía, and does not include any new building north of the motorway apart from in areas which are already consolidated such as Los Altos de Marbella and La Cañada. The areas in which the new growth is planned are on the peripheries of existing urban areas in order to avoid creating isolated residential districts, and 51% of Marbella's land will be zoned as not suitable for building. The regional government is also concerned about the amount of traffic in Marbella, which, with a ratio of 670 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants, is higher than Madrid and Sevilla. The Plan suggests pedestrianising some coastal areas, giving preference to public transport on the old N340 highway, and abolishing toll charges on the motorway in order that it can be used as a bypass. The regional government also had some other good news for the new mayor of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz, last week, as it announced that town planning powers would be returned to the council as soon as she has been sworn in as mayor on June 16th.