It's a bit more complicated than the length of our headline permits, but basically land ceded to Granada University will now go to a retirement-resort project.

Motril was very keen to have a permanent presence from the University of Granada within the municipality, as was the university itself. For this reason the Town Hall ceded a plot down on Playa Granada of some  40,000 sq/m in dimension.

The idea was first explored in 1999 which would entail a university, research laboratory near the port for which two plots were ceded; one in 2002 and the other in 2005, but the project never got off the ground.

Now the 40,000 sq/m of land will be put to another use, although Motril hasn’t given up completely on the idea of becoming a university town.

“These 40,000 sq/m that were given to the UGR and which the university no longer want will be reassigned  as a resort,” explained the Councillor for Urban Development, adding, “we are requesting approval to change the land-use category so that they will not only have educational use.”

Councillor Antonio Escámez went on to explain that the land can be used for sports activities or be a “health zone” adding that it will be a “therapeutic refuge,” so that elderly citizens from Spain and all of Europe can “pass the last stage of their life in a small oasis, filled with peace and sea air.”

“The resort will be more than just a holiday complex because it will also be quality therapeutic and assistance area,” he said. He said that there were several large companies in Granada that are interested in the project and have sent in projects and proposals.

When can we hope to see such a resort come into being? The councillor said that he hoped it would begin before the present legislature ends and then a couple of years after that for it to be completely built and open. He says that the cost would be around six-million euros.

(News: Motril, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)