Malaga will not see end of Pedregalejo seafront renovation until November

Construction

The city council has added 850,000 euros to the budget to introduce improvements in sanitation and lighting

Antonio M. Romero and Chus Heredia

The comprehensive renovation of the Pedregalejo seafront promenade in Malaga city is experiencing significant delays, with the deadline pushed until November and the budget increased.

Reconciling the needs of local businesses with technical issues, some of which have arisen unexpectedly, is proving difficult.

On Monday, urban planning and sustainability councillors Carmen Casero and Penélope Gómez, alongside councillor for the Este district and finance Carlos Conde, provided an update on the project.

Related story

• Hospitality

  • This includes new pumping equipment, a rotary screen, a deflector screen and a deodorisation unit for the new station, as well as acoustic insulation around the perimeter and anti-vibration membranes on the manhole covers.

    Lighting improvements

    Regarding public lighting, workers will not install underground conduits along the beach under any circumstances. This has necessitated a modification to the planned type of public lighting for beach access.

    The lighting will now be installed on eight-metre-high poles instead of 12 metres. At the request of the regional ministry of sustainability and the environment, contractors will also install ducting up to the seawall to provide electricity supply points for the espetos (traditional beach barbecue) grills used by the beachfront restaurants along the promenade.

    The project also includes improvements requested by kiosk operators. All five kiosks along the promenade will adopt a uniform design, featuring hot-dip galvanised steel frames for the floor, walls and roof, with four opening shutters, serving counters and a structural overhead storage area.

    Finally, one of the new public toilets will be specially equipped for people living with a stoma.

    Contract modifications

    The urban planning department of the city council is processing a modification to the project. The original project's cost was 5,725,039.62 euros (IVA included) with a ten-month execution period, to which another 857,141.39 euros have been added.

    This project aims not only to renovate the seafront promenade, but also to create more space for the public by eliminating the different levels of the promenade, reorganising the terraces and expanding access areas to the beach.

    The Pedregalejo seafront promenade is 1.2 kilometres long and has an average width of eight metres, so the main objective is to provide it with greater public use and gain space for pedestrians.

    The work is taking place in sections to minimise disruption to pedestrian traffic and commercial activity. Furthermore, several teams have been working simultaneously to expedite the process.

    During this whole time, pedestrians could still access the promenade and restaurants could maintain their activity whenever conditions allowed.

    Read dedicated local reporting for Malaga city