Estepona council approves municipal land plan for 1,200 proposed subsidised homes

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Mayor García Urbano moves forward with 36 housing plots as town hall debates infrastructure saturation and the growth of luxury developments in Cancelada

Emma Pérez-Romera

Estepona

Friday, 20 February 2026, 15:38

The full council meeting in Estepona has unanimously approved the use of municipal land for subsidised housing, paving the way for 36 plots to be developed for affordable homes.

“For now, the only VPOs that are certain to be built are the 110 on Camino de Cortes,” the opposition says. However, mayor García Urbano insists that more than 1,200 homes could be constructed under the agreement reached today.

The council considered a list of proposed plots, their precise locations and a 75-year concession with zero fees for the development of affordable subsidised housing.

The opposition, which voted in favour of this proposal “given the need for affordable housing in Estepona,” said: “The 36 plots announced have not been made available to anyone, nor transferred, nor is there any private investment committed, meaning that the 1,200 homes announced by the mayor are, for the moment, only in the government team’s imagination.”

More luxury housing

The council meeting also debated detailed studies for further housing developments in the municipality, specifically in the areas of Camino del Cerrillar, Cancelada Norte and Soto de la Resinera. The opposition expressed their concerns about these projects due to “the saturation of the area and the inability to guarantee basic services such as electricity, water, sewage or road access. “They haven’t even allowed us to see the full documentation of these files,” stated both Emma Molina and Manuel Aguilar, spokespersons for PSOE and Vox.

Additionally, in the La Resinera area, Molina questioned the removal of 46 palm trees from the land planned for the construction of 99 homes, and has called for “a municipal tree-planting plan that explains why some residents have branches pressed against their windows with no possibility of removing them, while other luxury developments can clear their entrances and relocate trees”, referring to the recent pruning and transplanting of the ficus trees on Avenida Litoral.

The municipal head of urban planning, Ana Velasco, defended these proposals, stating that they concern “land that has already been developed and included in a partial plan approved in 2003”, adding that “the services are already planned”. “The technical reports are favourable, and if there were any legal objections, neither the municipal technicians nor the responsible department would have given their approval,” she said.

The new municipal ordinance on electric scooters has also been unanimously approved. The opposition claims that the regulation comes after years of public demand, “and following several serious accidents in the urban area”, coinciding with the entry into force of the national legislation. PSOE and Vox have again requested that pedal-assisted bicycles be explicitly included in this ordinance, a proposal that the PP majority has once again rejected.

Public market

One of the most intense debates occurred over the procedure for awarding the Mercado de Abastos (public market) contract, of which, the mayor said, “After a process in which three companies participated, an issue arose during the proceedings, and the technical team considered that the ex officio review requested by one of the companies is not justified.”

PSOE and Vox criticised the management of this file, pointing out that “one company was excluded for submitting documentation after the deadline, three minutes past the closing time, despite being the one that met all the requirements”, leading that company to file an administrative lawsuit against Estepona town hall.

The mayor emphasised “the complexity of the public procurement system”, which is run through the national platform and is the same for all municipalities. He also said that municipal technicians, the audit office and the responsible department all participate in the procurement panels.

Favourite Sons

The council also unanimously agreed to award the titles of Hijos Predilectos (favourite sons) on 28 February, Andalucía Day, to former councillor María Miralles, founder of the first women’s association in the province of Malaga; flamenco guitarist José Fernández Bazán; and Estepona mathematics teacher and historian Francisco Medina Infantes.

María Miralles Márquez served as a councillor for the PSOE for 16 years, pioneering equality policies by establishing the women’s information centre and providing direct and personal support to victims of gender-based violence. At the same time, she carried out extensive cultural and community work through the Peñas Blancas women’s association.

José Fernández Bazán is a distinguished flamenco guitarist who’s artistic and teaching career has significantly contributed to the international promotion of flamenco. Throughout his career, he has accompanied renowned singers and dancers and has toured internationally. He has also played an important role as an educator, training generations of guitarists who are now widely recognised.

Finally, Francisco Medina Infantes has served as headteacher and mathematics teacher at the IES Monterroso school, as well as being a socialist councillor. Since his retirement, he has undertaken significant work compiling Estepona’s history, publishing three books to date.