Facilities update: Gym, Golf, Clubhouse, Tennis Courts

 Hi all

Below is an email I recieved today from Intercala phase 3 administrators, higueron@intercala.com  if you have any problems with your apartment now is the time to resolve it.

I would advise any phase 3 residents who wish to know the progress / completion of all community facilities to register their details with Intercala. I have recently recieved the minutes of the last EGM, which was to resolve the problem with bad Debtors who have outstanding community fees.  Also in AOB the promoter has said that it is their intention to finish all the pending works.

The minutes are very detailed and I would suggest that residents obtain their own copy.

We are more than happy with our apartment and hopefully in the not do distant future further completion of the promised facilities will commence.  

ARENAL GOLF FASE III

AVISO IMPORTANTE

SE INFORMA A LOS PROPIETARIOS QUE DEBEN PASAR NOTA DE LAS INCIDENCIAS EN SU VIVIENDA A LA PROMOTORA, AL OBJETO DE QUE NO PRESCRIBA LA GARANTÍA. A TAL FIN, DEBEN CONTACTAR CON LA SRTA. LILI EN EL TELÉFONO 951295151 O EMAIL

dgarcia@procesosdf.com

La Administración – Intercala Asesores SL - 952 449 592

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IMPORTANT NOTICE

OWNERS ARE INFORMED THAT SHOULD THEY HAVE ANY CLAIMS REGARDING THEIR PROPERTY THEY SHOULD CONTACT THE PROMOTER PRIOR TO THE END OF THE PROMOTER’S GUARANTEE PERIOD: CONTACT LILI ON 951295151 OR VIA EMAIL: dgarcia@procesosdf.com.

The Administration – Intercala Asesores SL - 952 449 592

Just because I am enjoying the golf course’s current status as a developing eco sphere doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate the views of those of you who feel that you have been short changed by the developers.

There are however several points that I think need to be born in mind.

·         It ‘s only just over four years since the first completions took place and that’s really quite a short period in the life of a development the size of ours. In the early eighties we were amongst the first to move into a similar sized development in the Midlands, lured there by a promised Leisure Centre, Primary School and Shopping Parade, however it was 20 years on (and fifteen years after we’d moved out) before those proposals came to fruition.

·        Current economic conditions have led to a drastic slowdown in sales, which in turn has led to cash flow problems for the developers, but at least they are still in business, unlike many of their former competitors.

·        The proposed merger of the Cajasur and Unicaja banks has inevitably had an impact on Prienesur and its activities, as it is a solely owned Cajasur company. Following the approval of the merger earlier in the week hopefully things can move forward once more, albeit at a slower pace than we might wish.

·         Many people use forums such as this to gain information about various developments in an area in which they are considering purchasing or renting, either long term or for holiday purposes. Whatever our reasons for being here, as a permanent home, as an investment or as an income generator it’s in no-one’s interest to promote negative views of Arenal. Such discussions have a place, but more rightfully belong on less public forums of existing owners.

I'm looking forward to the golf courses completion, whenever that might be, so I can complain about the condition of the greens :D

Jenken's last paragraph is exactly what I was trying to say but has been put over much better than my post!  That is exactly what is really worrying me about all these negative posts - everybody loses out by them and NOBODY gains!

 It's fantastic here on Arenal Golf, honest.  In fact it's surpassed our expectations!  I think every budding golfer should buy here.

Hi Oliverson,

                       Nice one,i like it

Everyone has an opinion, it maybe good or bad. However anyone looking to buy on Arenal golf will come and see the golf course for what it is, I don't think that they will be put off by this forum. You say that four years is a short time in the life of a complex like this, only two years ago the golf course was all but finished, what happened? The developer has the greatest vested interest in selling apartments on Arenal, with several hundred left for sale, surely if the golf course and other facilities were finished, then the quality of the build would sell the apartments.

Ian,

        You are correct,i recently watched the golf in Dubai,and the 18 hole Earth course took one year to build and play the biggest European event,so whats the problem in sorting Arenals course/bits out which mean so much to us out,i have read various posts ,and read that all the construction on the developement is complete,with hundreds of apartments not sold,i have also just received the minutes on Phase 3 meeting,as my property is in block 1 phase 3,in these minutes there are approx 3 full pages of debtors,with vast ammounts owing to the running of the phase( i am not one these debtors)but i do sympathize with them ,because i am sure that if the development was finished most of them would be more than happy to pay there dues and demands,i am not as sympathetic as some of the people who make posts on the site,i feel we have been treated terrible,i have no sympathy with the Promoter/Devoper/Bank you name it,if they can afford to build all of the properties in advance,and i have said before ,not complete the facities,there is something drastically wrong,i have said before all phases should get together and make a stance,we have been taken for mugs,on the letter which i have received from our administrators INTERCALA it says if you have any queries contact there office,what a laugh ,i have contacted there office by e:mail and letter several times and have had no reply,on a final note i think 4 years is more than enough to have completed the developement,and as regards planting the wrong grass?do me a favour,are they complete muppets,this is spain for god sakes,grass grows in a few weeks,the weeds must have been there 2 years.

Sorry to all those who think i am negative ,but i could be a lot worse.

Hi Samste,

Unfortunately not having a golf course in no excuse for withholding  community fees. these fees are fundamental in the running of your phase and without them, the lights go out!!!

When the golf course is finished and handed over, our fees will increase to pay for it, unless we vote to fund it on a pay & play basis.

You may find that some owners are not pushing for the completion because they are afraid of the impact on their fees. However we should all see the benefit of having all facilities completed, I say again it will add to the value of our investments and for those needing to sell, the process will be easier.

Ian

Hi Ian,

           I must be thick,i did not realise that when the course is finished that the community fees would go up,i thought the fees we already paid included everything, when i bought i was told up to a maximum of 4 people could play free if you bought a 2 bedroom apartment,as regards community fees ( debtors) , i hadnt thought that some owners were holding back incase community fees went up on completion of the ammenities,either way i have no sympathy with the promotor/banks/developers,i still beleive they have treated us shabily,i was very fortunate that i paid cash for the property through sale of a previous business ,and so i am realy unhappy that they have approx 200.000 euros of mine,for a property i probably could have bought for half that ,if not on a golf complex.

 Everyone is entitled to their views on the development as we all have paid out good money for our apartments regardless of which phase we bought on.I too am not happy the facilities are not in place as promised but the only good point is Prienesur are still on site and appear to be very slowly starting the facilities with the tropical gardens under way and recent comments to the administrators on phases 3/4 suggest work on the remaining facilities will start shortly.I too share the annoyance with the state of the golf course to have seen it completed and maintained and looking the way it is now does not make sense.Samste you have no time for the promoter,banks/developers fair enough but the amount of developments that have just stopped at the moment in Spain with little or no chance of completion in the next couple of years  is massive I know you don't want to hear it but in the present climate I'll take prienesur's slow approach to constructing the facilities providing they complete them all as promised when we all bought a few years ago.Have phase 1 or 2 had any meeting with Prienesur recently I know last year phase 2 were close to starting court action against Prienesur.

At this stage I feel the best way forward is for all the communities on all the completed phases to work with Prienesur  to ensure they keep paying their community fees on all their unsold apartments and secondly to urgently complete the facilities as promised as long as prienesur keep working on the development it can't be all bad.A court case against Prienesur could work out very costly and may take years to reach the court let's hope we don't need to go down that road. 

We really need to look forward and not keep looking behind all the time its easier said than done and a lot(most) buyers feel badly let down by the promoter/developer but after seeing the finish on our apartment which is good,the area Benalmadena and its facilities around are excellent and hopefully in early 2010 the facilities in Arenal Golf will be starting to take shape.  

As an owner on Phase 1, I doubt anybody there is at all interested in taking action against the developers.  Perhaps I am speaking out of turn but I consider Phase 1 to be a completely different development.  If the golf course gets completed, along with the clubhouse and supposed gym, sure we'll take a look but frankly after 4+ years of ownership it's both sad and laughable.

As for 'free golf for life', I doubt that will ever transpire.  Also, we expected that when (if) the course gets completed, the community charge would increase to pay for it.  In fact it was always understood to be that way.

Like others have posted, it's quite unbelievable how they can expect to sell apartments when the basis of the whole development was a golf course.  Until the developer completes the course, nothing will shift.  Should they complete it, many of those apartments will sell.  I can well understand disgruntled owners not paying the community charge.  After all, they probably feel sh4fted.  I can also understand the issues this raises.  It's really down to the developers to deliver on their promise and maybe the wheels will start turning again.  One thing's for sure, until they do that it will be stalemate.

Anybody remember the news article a couple of years ago about millions of euro's being committed to building a new park somewhere near the foot of the complex (not the tropical gardens)?  What happened to that?

 The new proposed park was due to start on the far side of the train tracks past phases 6+7 it was to be larger than Paloma Park and go all the way down to the old water plant on Palm Tree Avenue in fact the sign for the park was still outside the water palnt the last time I passed by.It was always going to be constructed in phases and take a few years to complete,if you walk past phases6+7 and over the train tracks there was some earth movement work done but  not much.

It's probably become another victim of the current credit crench! see below old press report

The planned 200,000-square-metre Al-Baytar park in Benalmádena is going ahead, with earth moving already largely completed and the construction contract now being put out to bid so that work can start at the beginning of 2005, announced the Town Hall last week. The new park, named after famous 13th-century Moslem botanist Ibn Al-Baytar, who was born in Benalmádena, will be the town's largest, bigger even than the existing crown jewel of the municipality's park system, Parque de la Paloma. 

The Al-Baytar park, to be located between the town's new water treatment plant and the Maravillas school, will be split into three main zones, explained Mayor Enrique Bolín last week. One area will be dedicated to a Moslem-style garden in homage to the park's namesake, who will also be immortalised in a bronze statue by sculptor Hamilton Armstrong. Another area will feature what is known as 'xeriscaping', a type of landscaping that uses native and drought-resistant trees and plants to favour water conservation. Finally, the main flatland of the park will include trees and open areas, including sports and recreation facilities and an artificial lagoon, creating an environment similar to that at Parque de la Paloma. The total cost of the park is budgeted at six million euros, to be shared between the Town Hall and European Union funding.

I think a few points need  making.As I understand it the developer did not commence the tropical garden for the love of the owners, this work is being done under an obligation with the town hall, just like the hospitals & schools. After all, they want the first occupation licence for the recently completed phases.

While I understand that many of you would like all communities too come together and put pressure on the developer to complete their obligations, this is easier said than done. Firstly, those of you who have experienced a community meeting will know that it is difficult  enough to resolve the most simple of issues, taking many hours. If we wanted to vote on an issue of this magnitude, we would need a full legal team on board along with all the owners and the individual administrators would need to co-ordinate such a meeting.

I think at this stage, we should all contact the developers head office in Cordoba individually and express our concerns at the delay in completion of the facilities and ask the question!!! Hopefully this might make them sit up and listen.

I keep saying this, if they would but see it, it is in their best interests to finish the golf course and other facilities, particularly if they want to sell the balance of apartments they hold.

 Just imagine how wonderful it could all be.  Golf course, driving range, club house and gym completed.  Tropical garden finished off.  New park taking shape.  Apartments fully sold and plantation maturing.  Just like we all bought into.  Wouldn't that be a dream?

 Could someone in phase 4 block 5 do me a big favour ? I would like to know if apartment B on level 1 portal 16 is empty.