Removal of internal wall

well, where do i start.   i got back this morning and am feeling  positive about the visit.

i arrived and literally dumped luggage and headed up to the development.  it looked pretty much like the pictures put up last on the shared photos. The sales office was closed as it was around 2pm so i sat in a bar and waited until it was supposed to open at 4pm.  by 4.35 we were hot and tired so decided to wait until the next day.  i telephoned the number posted on the door on the site office the next morning.  i can speak spanish so was able to talk to the salesman over the phone and arrange to come in.  i had a good chat with him and he took me around the site. i don't really think we was well up on what was actually going on but seemed to know what he was talking about. he kept telling me that it wasn't going to be more than a few weeks now.  yes, there is no work going on still, so i was disappointed but there were gardeners starting to clear up the area again as it has gotten a little overgrown having been left so long (little hope but at least somebody was starting work) and by the second time i went up all the gardens were cleared up and done again. appartments all finished on phase 1. he told me every appliance etc was fitted and ready to go.  there are more security guards around now and they won't let you take photos or video. i sneaked a little footage in while they weren;t looking and chatted away to them in spanish trying to win them over but he wouldn't let me video (while he was looking anyway).

so, next i was to go the the lawyers in marbella.  this appointment changed and you lot don't seem to have heard over hear but there was a second meeting with the lawyers last tuesday (12th) and the developers and the town hall, so they rang to say to wait until wednesday to come in as she should have news from the meeting.   the meeting went ahead and the outcome is that the town hall (which i also went up to find in manilva!) and the developers have now reached an agreement about the roads.   it is the roads all around the site, i.e. across the bottom as well. gerens were refusing to pay for it all as other developers will be using it but they have come to a compromise and gerens have agreed to do it using thier builders. in return the town hall have now agreed to issue licences by the end of june.   however, my lawyer did say that in her opinion licences may well be issued subject to the roads being finished, although they haven't said this, but Gerens have said that they should take no longer than 10-14 days to complete. to be honest them roads need doing, you couldnt live there with them like they are now. 

we asked the lawyer if this could all be just talk again as there doesn't seem to be anything in writing again but she assured me that the meeting had gone ahead, she had been there and that the builders had no reason to lie as they need things moving before cancellations in a couple of weeks. she really did seem to think it is imminent now and completion could be as short as 10 days after licences if we require it. although i would like to see the exterior of the site improve somewhat before i push my completion. apparently no meetings take place for 15 days after an election as they have to appoint new mayors etc and this was first chance for a meeting since.

she said the option to cancel is there for those who bought off plan but that most wouldn't anyway because of the site itself being so good. i must say, it is nice and i think we will all be happy eventually.

i mentioned eye on spain in passing and i mentioned a friend of mine called alan spencer and she knew you straight away alan!! ha ha.  what have you been saying to her!.

i asked her about arenal golf as i was a little worried that this is turning into a developers problem and she explained that the difficulties there were much different.   the build is nowhere near as progressed as ours and their problems are a little different. that development is a long way off being anywhere near completion she said.  she assured me that the build itself is not risky and problems at arenal golf are just coincidental.  they have lots of other devlopments running smoothly.

anyway, i think things are going to move now.  but i hate to say a little part of me is hoping it wasn't all Bull****.

suzanne

tried to narrow this essay down and took loads out but i like to talk a lot sorry

Suzanne

You can talk away all day !!!

Many many thanks for your Report - it's cheered us up no end.

Thanks for the news, I think this will have given us all a bit of a lift!

Regards M

Thanks for the info Peps,we are going on holiday tomorrow for 2weeks,and hopefully when we return we will have good news waiting for us

Ken Lynn

Excellent Suzanne, like you I hope it isn't a load of bull.  The road seems to be the issue and I for one would like it sorted out before we complete.  Ground works are a costly business in the UK no doubt the same in Spain, so rather the developer pay than us at a later date.

Suzanne

Many thanks for the update. Like everyone else we can only hope this is correct and who knows we may all be in very soon.

Thanks again

This is most encouraging.

I had visions of a group of us working on a chain gang to finish this road !!

Hi Suzanne,

Thanks for the update, it is a great feeling that there may finally be some ligtht at the end of the tunnel.  Here's hoping like all others that its not a train.  Thanks again I feel a lot more hopefil now.

Peter 

Hi Suzanne

Just to say thanks for the update, as all the others - you seem to have done so much, did you get time for anything else!

My brother came back a week ago and said the gardens looked great with all the flowers out etc.

Things really are looking up!

David

no problem.  i did find lots of time to see the area.  loved manilva town. it was quiet but not too quiet and i loved it being able to speak spanish properly instead of every single person speaking in english like some of the areas in spain are now. we stayed up till gone 2am everynight so there is that option also, but it wasn't noisy. the restaurants are all lovely in the marina and i really cannot complain about anything i saw.  just the outside around our development needs to improve somewhat yet.  i loved the area totally and am really happy.  i'll see if i can upload some pics later, not sure if any good ones there or if they will show any changes but i'll look.

i really cannot wait to go back

suzanne

Hi Suzanne

Glad you enjoyed yourself as well as all the information chasing. I'm impressed with your being able to speak Spanish, and I plan to try harder in that respect. The restauraunts are nice and a friend enjoyed New Year in Browns which he said was excellent. So far I have been remiss and only done the Chinese, Italians etc (the Mexican is supposed to be excellent) and need to look out for a Spanish one. Been up to the castle and the fish restaurant  nearby looks good too. Have you walked along the front past Sabinillas yet - we went to the market and beyond to the Moorish tower that they are to renovate - there is a beach restaurant there where you can really chill out.

My brother didn't bother with any photograhs as he said that things were no different to when I was out in November but it's nice to see any change and your phase was mud paths, open manholes etc back then and must look good with the gardens done. It surprised me in November to see that the clubhouse that we thought was being built had been opened as a school! - a sweetner for the council no doubt.  Had you heard anything more on where it is now proposed as I remember it being said here that it may be incorporated into the Aparthotel along with gym etc?

I've taken some stick for recommending my friend to phase 1 as he has been looking for other investments and didn't know where he was with this one - I hear his frustrations so know where you are coming from - but it really is a good area and I'm just disappointed that I have not booked another flight there until October!

David

Hi, just to say the Mexican restaurant is excellent - very friendly and good food - which is always a bonus!!

Regards M

Hi

I too have bought in Duquessa and have just found this forum. Can anyone tell me when you talk about roads do you mean the ones directly in front of the phase 1 or do you mean the main road beside the motor340. Will that be considered part of the developers work to finish or will that be the council or who. They are an awful mess and really bring down the whole look of the area as you drive along the main road. Just wondering if anyone knows.

its the roads all around the complex.  if you are there and stand on the bridge you can see where some of the pavement curbs have been layed now and start to turn and such.  they are all to join up like a grid (think there's a mini  roundabout too).  they will be around the shopping complex and across bottom of development, though it is the road across bottom of development and up alongside the entrances at the side that are being pushed at the moment. the builder gerens say they won't take long to do once they started.

suzanne

Hi, I know this is going to sound strange, but we have not long been on the scene!  Can someone tell me in a bit more detail what the remainder of the phases will consist of ie 2-6.  We understand a new commercial centre is one phase, and ? new police station.  Is the Medical Centre which is being built another phase? And where are further apartments being sited.

Thanks M

Hi Mimmie

Things have changed as you may have guessed over a period of time. As you look from the sea, Phase 1 is the large scheme which I believe you've bought in. Phase 2 is the narrow strip of one and a half rows that is immediately behind. Then there is the garden area/ponds behind that and behind that was to be the sports/club but is now a school.

Phase 3 was to the right of phase 1 but has been scrapped due to the "irregularities" and developments being too "dense" etc, and phase 4 (which I am hopefully in eventually) is to the right of the gardens and behind "phase 3".

The commercial centre next to the main road was not as large but  is now circa. 5 storeys to include affordable housing as part of the sweetner to the LA for "irregularities".This was to be sold lock stock and barrel to an Irish company but I don't know if the delay has driven them away.The whole site was to be completed by the end of this year! (even the roads!)

The sales office is to be the medical centre (new build on that area), but I believe the police station stays as is, just in front of the "blue bridge" over the road.

Phases 5 & 6 I believe are now the Aparthotel and I was wondering if the clubhouse etc would now be incorporated there, though it was mentioned as possibly going between the commercial centre and phase 1 (seems unlikely a position). Some people appear to have put deposits down on phases 5 & 6 but I couldn't when I tried (it looks a good position overlooking the golf course on the left hand side, middle of the development) and whilst I believe you can invest in the Aparthotel I don't think you can use it yourself as a holiday home - others may know more. I have not really concerned myself too much so as not to get frustrated with all the change and delays - it's why I want to go there to chill out - you simply have to accept it's a different way of life!

Hope this helps (and is understandable!)

David

Thank you so much David, that explanation has really helped, I thought perhaps the medical centre and the hospital was one of the same thing, but obviously not.

I should be wonderful when it is all finished, but I agree it is very frustrating for all concerned.

Regards Mimmie

Mimmie,

I hope  I  am wonderful when it is all finished as well, but probably not as wonderful as you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ha Ha - so I made a typing error - however, I am sure we will both FEEL wonderful when its all done!

Regards M