Ruins of La Manga shopping arcade pulled down but what comes next?
The abandoned shopping arcades in La Manga del Mar Menor are being demolished while awaiting future of the site
The Town Hall of San Javier began demolition work this week on nine shopping arcades in La Manga del Mar Menor, opposite the Doblemar hotel.
Demolition work has been pushed up as a matter of urgency due to lack of attention at the site on the part of the owners of the premises and given a clear and present danger of the severely deteriorated structures falling down.
San Javier’s Councillor for Town Planning, Antonio Martínez, said “There is a difference with the Lagomar hotel. In that case it was a declaration of ruin, which could be programmed. In this case it was imminent ruin. These works have been carried out as an emergency measure. The plot was not safe.”
The land on the plot on one side gave onto the beach and on the other side onto the Gran Vía de La Manga. The demolition of the premises overlooking the beach has been ordered and work is continuing on the demolition of the rest of the premises.
The demolition work will be carried out by the Town Hall, who will then bill the owners for the work: “The execution of the subsidiary demolition works was ordered and these works will then be claimed from the owners. This claim will include all the costs of execution, such as the construction project etc. Not only the demolition itself, which will amount to a total of around 100,000 euros,” said Martínez, adding that this is the same procedure as happened with the Lagomar building.
Another of the issues to be discussed is the future use that will be given to the plot once the demolition work is completed.
“Apart from the state of conservation, the urban categorisation will not change. The owners will be able to use it for commercial purposes.
“The Roc group, which owns 60% of the plot, has always wanted to give it a new commercial use. The problem is the small property owners, who in many cases either do not want to invest or simply cannot,” said Martínez. “An agreement has not been reached.”
The Town Hall believes that a new shopping arcade would give a new life to the area, although they are aware of the complications of such a project.
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Images: Ayuntamiento de San Javier
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