Directions

I have bought on both Mar Menor and Terrazas as a result of the Alhama withdraw.  Told at the time these resorts would be ready at end of 2007 start of 2008. Went over on the 31st of Jan and stayed in a Villa on La Torre. Had a look at both resorts to see what progress. I then went to the Polaris World offices on the Saturday but found customer services don't work weekends so spoke to an English salesman who told me that Mar Menor and Terrazas would not be ready until end of 2008.

I then spoke with PW reps at the 2 show houses on La Torre and they said don’t expect to be able to move in until 2 years from construction starting (which meant they would not be ready until spring  2008 assuming they started now).

On my return sent an email to customer services asking what the official line was. A rather nice lady phoned me to discuss the problems. She seemed competent and was armed with all the answers to my questions. So for those interested this in a nutshell is what she said.

The delays are all due to licenses at the local Town Halls. Each stage, ground clearing, services (i.e. roads, pipe works) and then building all have to have licenses applied for separately. These local Town Halls can have these request for licenses on there agenda set for a particular date but can then be postponed if something more urgent comes up. This is what has happened with these sites. However because of the delays the council has promised to give these priority and PW are confident they will get them soon. Unofficially they are saying construction work on Mar Menor will start in June/July of this year. Terrazas might be a little later. PW undertake to complete within 18 months of starting construction. The Villas and Town houses on Mar Menor will be started first followed by the apartments. They will release all properties at the same time and should be ready Nov /Dec 2008. The Commercial building at he front and the boulevard they are trying to get ready at the same time but they are also subject to licenses being granted.

Terrazas although possibly starting a little later they hope to finish approx same time as Mar menor. They would be released in Phases

Alhama is starting soon as the Town Hall there has promised to rush through the licenses because of the original delay. I asked if Mar Menor and Terrazas was being delayed because of Alhama and answer was no. La Torre and 2 other resorts were very close to finishing and that there was enough resources to do all 3 new resorts within in the 18 month build schedule. They are only building Jardines on Alhama to start with, the whole resort is not planned to be finished until something like 2012.

I asked why all the silence and why couldn’t we be better informed of delays. She explained they sent a letter out last year in good faith stating that ground clearing was due to start in July. This was because the license was due to be granted at a Town Hall meeting. They thought it was just going to be a formality and wanted to share it with us on the back of Alhama being reintroduced. Town Hall postponed discussing the licenses because of other more important matters. So she felt PW will only announce information in future when they have something concrete to say. 

I am only reporting what was said but I felt there was a genuine desire to be frank maybe because I did say I would be reporting back to the forums with her answers.

She has offered to email a copy of the construction licenses as they receive them from the Town Halls.

Although disapointed by the delays I have to say the La Torre resort is looking fantastic. Might go back there later in the year when it should all be finished and more pepole about. If Mar Menor and Terrazas is anything like La Torre I think the wait will have been well worth it.

Alan