Lifestyle March, 30th 2010 by John Grimmett

Mijas faces housing crunch, plans for 42,000 new homes

As part of its effort to match its General Plan for Urban Organization (PGOU) with the new Urban Planning Act of Andalusia (LOUA), Mijas Town Hall has announced new zoning laws that will allow the construction of 42,000 new homes. Urban planning councillors say the new residential zoning will help prevent a potential housing shortage in the town.

The LOUA recommends that municipalities prepare for population growth, and the number of new homes would allow Mijas to reach a population of 340,000. One council member pointed out that the new plan will avoid a potential housing crunch. Mijas currently has 100,000 available homes with a population of 76,000.

The team in charge of the PGOU released the full plan on Friday to seek final approval from the municipal corporation.

Juan Cruz, a member of Mijas’ Urban Planning Council, explained yesterday that the new document is ‘a fundamental tool for avoiding a housing crisis and attracting investment and sustainable growth in the municipality with the creation of important infrastructure and facilities for the residents of Mijas’.

Cruz added that the ultimate objective is to review the General Plan in stages in order to locate land that could be developed for housing, beginning with undeveloped land.

Cruz further explained that some areas of Mijas would not be included in the plan initially, but would need to qualify for development. These areas include Polarsol and Racecourse, as well as La Cala and Las Lagunas.

The new plan also opens the way to complete other important projects, such as the construction of Business Park and the Promenade at La Cala.

Conservative urban counselors say that they have pushed for these changes for years. Responding to the announcement, Manuel Navarro recalled objections originally raised by the Partido Popular (PP), the conservative party, saying, ‘This is evidence of the disastrous urban planning of the Mijas City Council since the adoption of the 1999 Comprehensive Plan’. Navarro then said that the PP would vote on Friday in favor of the document.

After the General Urban Plan has been implemented, the municipality may still revise it. The plan was first adopted in 2005, but implementation was delayed when the LOUA came into effect.