The Mayor, José Alberto Armijo and the Councillor for Beaches, Jonathan Méndez, traveled to Málaga for a meeting with the head of the Department of Coasts, Francisco Hermoso, to discuss various outstanding projects.
The Mayor was none too happy that work on the new promenade at El Chucho beach is making slow progress and, instead of being ready for the first major influx of visitors at Easter, will not now be ready until the summer.
The problem is apparently due to having to divert sewage pipes in the area in order to build a wall, but these issues are now said to be resolved. The problem, however, led to little or no work being carried out in December and January, putting the whole project at least two months behind.
Another issue discussed was the installation of breakwaters to prevent the perpetual errosion of Torrecilla beach, especially during bad weather. As is the case in many municipalities, a solution to the problem of beach erosion has been on the agenda for many, many years.
The current idea is the construction of concrete jetties. This option is still at the ‘under consideration’ stage by the Department of Coasts.
All along the coast, the beaches are regularly eroded, or in some cases totally destroyed, every time there is bad weather, and several times a year the Department of Coasts just brings in truckloads of replacement sand.
Sometimes, the replacement sand only lasts a few days, or maybe a week, when the bad weather suddenly returns, and many Councils are fed up with this situation and are demanding permanent solutions.
A third item on the agenda was the Paseo de los Carabineros, the walkway between the Balcón de Europa and Burriana beach, which was closed by the Department of Coasts six years ago due to rockslides in the area.
Nerja Council are keen to see this walkway reopened, at least in part. There have been no further rockslides and with a bit of remedial work, including the construction of a fence, the Council believes that at least part of the walkway can be reopened to the public.
Once again, this is a matter which is ‘under consideration.