Manilva Town Hall has once again been left empty-handed in its latest attempt to sell, for just over €2.8 million, a plot on which the construction of 27 open-market homes is permitted. After launching the auction in mid-September, the Town Hall has declared the tender void because not a single bid was received.
The setback for municipal interests is clear, as this is the second time that Manilva has gone to market to dispose of this plot. In this round, in an attempt to attract more interest, the starting price was cut considerably. Compared with just over €3.5 million (excluding VAT) in the first round, it was lowered to €2.8 million, without success.
The plot affected by this sale covers 21,705 square metres, on which a maximum of 27 houses may be built. What has happened in Manilva shows that not everything is rosy in the Costa del Sol property sector.
The land is located in the Bahía de las Rocas development and is zoned for open-market housing. According to the planning details, the buildable floor area assigned to this plot is 8,128 square metres, with a maximum of 27 houses, which may not exceed two storeys in height.
According to the Town Hall in the tender specifications governing the procedure, the land is not suitable for the development of subsidised housing (viviendas de protección oficial), as it is an isolated site, «difficult to access» and «cannot be reached by public transport».
«The conditions of the homes, their geographical location and the construction forecasts mean that their upkeep and maintenance would be beyond the means of a family unit on the register of housing applicants», the Town Hall adds to justify its decision to put this land on the market.
It added a further explanation: «Given their economic situation, subsidised homes are more suitable close to urban centres, where there is a greater range of basic services within walking distance, with public transport for longer distances, and their status must also allow integration into society and the urban fabric».
