The Asociación de Empresarios de Nerja (Business Association) has lent its support to the Nerja Town Hall’s call for a marina, which was approved at a Plenary Meeting of the full council in February.

The said approved motion called on the Agencia Publica de Puertos de Andalucía and the Board of Public Works & Transport, also of the Junta, to speed up the studies and bureaucratic steps for the development of a (recreational) port in the Nerja-Torrox area of the coast.

In the communique issued by the Asociación de Empresarios de Nerja it pointed out that nautical recreation counts on 19,931 berths in Andalucía. To satisfy the growing demand, and taking into account the importance of this kind of infrastructure, the Decree 457/2008 envisaged an increase in the number of marina berths, bringing the number up to 25,000 by 2015. Bear in mind, however, that this decree came into being in 2008, just as the crisis starting to bite and before anybody knew just how hard and long it was going to hit.

The Association says that it “has always considered this project to be very important for the area and would be a source of wealth and jobs; as much in its construction, as in its use and maintenance.” They also consider that such a marina would compliment the eventual development of the Playazo as a tourist focal point.

Sounds great, but there is no public money to fund it and there is no spare ‘credit’ kicking around in the private sector either, as the banks still have the credit tap firmly closed.

(News, Nerja, Axarquia, Costa del Sol, Malaga, Andalucia)