Benalmádena Marina Embarks on a 4.5-Million-Euro Transformation Featuring a Two-Story Shopping Center, Expansive Rooftop Terraces, and the "Aquarium of the Costa"
Benalmádena Town Hall is actively advancing its plan to not just update but entirely overhaul Puerto Marina port, unveiling the envisioned details of the ambitious scheme. The primary objective of this innovative project is to allocate space for sports, training, leisure, culture, and high-quality employment, ultimately establishing a new port model with a realistic and sustainable design that will serve as a benchmark for the coming decades.
In the heart of the main dock area, the proposal includes a two-story shopping center spanning 7,000 square meters of commercial space and an additional 5,500 square meters of rooftop terraces offering panoramic views of the sea. The berths for the most prestigious boats will be strategically positioned in front of the shopping center.
A noteworthy feature of the transformation is the construction of what the council terms the "great aquarium of the Costa del Sol." This remarkable addition will incorporate an underwater tunnel leading to a new green area in front of the nautical center. Pedestrian accessibility is a key consideration in the design, with a planned access route from Avenida Alay. The town hall emphasizes that a significant portion of the 4.5-million-euro transformation will be financed using the port's own funds.
THE UK AND SPAIN have been ranked among the top three sauciest countries in Europe. According to new website Clubsandparties.com, which lists every wife-swapping and sex club on the planet, the UK has 155 while Spain has the third highest with 113. Germany has the most in Europe with 193.
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The new policy is likely to make Andalucia attractive to foreigners wanting a second home in Spain.
Andalucia has scrapped a ‘wealth tax’ imposed on second homeowners in Spain.
This reduces the amount of tax paid by expats on their properties. The new policy is likely to make Andalucia attractive to foreigners wanting a second home in Spain.
Among Spain’s 17 regions, Andalucia now has the second lowest tax requirements after Madrid.
The ‘el impuesto de patrimonio’, or wealth tax, previously applied to residents and non-residents with a net worth of €700,000 and over. It was levied on worldwide assets for Spanish nationals, and Spanish assets only for non-residents.
Andalucia hopes the move will attract investment and lure high-earning taxpayers to the region, increasing employment and funding for public services.
Why is Andalucia abolishing wealth tax?
The tax cut is part of a wider strategy to reduce the impact of rising living costs in Andalucia.
By scrapping wealth tax, the local government hopes to attract investment, promote economic activity and increase employment in the region.
“Andalucia has to be competitive and measure itself against the best,” says a statement on the Junta de Andalucia website.
Following the announcement, Andalusian regional president Juanma Moreno tweeted, “In 2023 alone, [the wealth tax cut] will leave €360 million in the pockets of Andalusians”.
According to the government, wealth tax only accounted for 0.6 per cent of the region’s annual tax revenue, yet it deterred wealthy residents from staying in the region.
In the last financial year, half of the top 20 highest taxpayers left the region, leading to a €3.5 million loss in wealth tax plus a €14 million loss in personal income tax.
By encouraging high-earners to remain in Andalucia, the region will gain personal income tax.
“What do we gain from it? Attract investment and increase the number of taxpayers and collection. Objective: more activity, more employment and more resources for essential public services,” says Andalusian regional president Juanma Moreno in a tweet.
Wealthy residents aren’t the only ones benefiting from Andalucia’s tax reform.
Those earning in the lower income brackets will see a 4.3 per cent reduction in their personal income tax, along with raised exemption levels. This ensures wage increases granted due to inflation are not swallowed by taxes.