Projects fast-tracked by the Junta in Malaga province: two billion euros and 7,600 jobs

What do the following have in common? Two photovoltaic plants, a wind farm, the construction of several luxury tourist complexes, a new shopping centre and the extension of another, a new hospital, the expansion of a meat-processing factory and the installation of a recycling plant for domestic appliances? Answer: all are proposed for Malaga province and, above all, accompanied by a significant economic investment and a portfolio of new jobs powerful enough to warrant a faster planning response from the Junta de Andalucía to make sure no proposal is shelved.

Those in charge of clearing the bureaucratic path for approvals, at least at the regional level, are the multidisciplinary team who make up the Unidad Aceleradora de Proyectos (project accelerator unit), created by the Andalusian government in its previous term of office. Currently there are 11 initiatives in the province being helped by this 20-strong team amounting to 14 projects under way.

The numbers are impressive: a projected spend of two billion euros and the creation of 7,600 jobs. Two projects stand out: one for the budget - 780 million euros planned by tourism giant Globalia to build two 'resorts' with hotels, apartments and luxury villas; the other for employment - 2,557 new jobs as Prolongo-Faccsa expands its meat factory in Estación de Cártama.

In the list of investments being boosted (cutting the approvals processing time by up to 50%) are another three tourist complexes in Marbella and a fourth in Mijas, expansion of the designer outlet village in Plaza Mayor and a commercial park proposed for the site of the old Salyt brick factory in Malaga city.

Also on the unit's books to support are proposals for renewables: two photovoltaic plants to self-power all facilities of the Ahumados Ubago group based in Malaga city and the Mondat Baker bakery; a wind farm that Iberdrola is about to commission between Campillos and the Seville town of Martín de la Jara; lastly, the ONCE social group's sustainable environment proposal for a recycling plant for electrical and electronic goods.

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In 2020 Prolongo-Faccsa celebrated its bicentenary in the pork-processing trade. Expansion plans include a new factory (providing 547 construction jobs) on land between its head office in Estación de Cártama and the Guadalhorce river. Its current base of 1,000 staff will grow to 3,000 once operational. The new industrial complex will consist of a slaughterhouse (with a capacity for 30,400 pigs per day), meat-processing plant and refrigerated warehouse.

The Junta expedited several planning consultations and an environmental impact study to overcome urban planning constraints in Cártama as this investment proposal, among others, was declared to be of strategic interest for Andalucía.

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The wind farm between Campillos and neighbouring Martín de la Jara (Seville) has already been built by Iberdrola and will be operational within weeks.

The plant will have a capacity of 36 megawatts (MW), meeting the typical energy needs of 34,000 homes. These facilities will generate 21 jobs once operative and form a trio of wind farms crossing the Malaga-Seville border.

The other two are El Puntal II (15 MW) in Sierra de Yeguas, already operational, and San Cristóbal (28 MW) planned for the Seville town of Estepa.

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The Junta regional government is cutting through red tape to approve three luxury tourism projects across Marbella - Las Dunas Club luxury hotel resort, run by the W hotel chain; Siete Revueltas Resort hotel complex, also east of Marbella; and another resort north of Puerto Banús, to include a five-star hotel and exhibition centre.

Las Dunas Club, with an investment of 200 million and 480 jobs, seeks to build a five-star hotel with 186 rooms and two apartment blocks with 89 holiday and 115 residential apartments. Plans include improvements to, and preservation of, the sand dunes of Real de Zaragoza beach.

The Siete Revueltas project, costing 77m euros, will construct a five-star luxury hotel with 120 rooms plus 321 residential villas and high-end tourist apartments, creating 448 jobs and adding a riverside park by the stream bearing its name.

The third project has designs on an unused plot north of Puerto Banús for a five-star hotel with 250 rooms and a new exhibition centre, costing 134 million and creating 745 jobs.

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Valle del Golf Resort is an ambitious initiative for its promoters, Logarma, in the Entrerríos area of Mijas but, being on the Junta's list of favoured projects has made it possible to shorten waits for the required modification of the Mijas urban masterplan (PGOU), now awaiting approval by the council.

Plans include a five-star hotel with 156 rooms, a complex of 350 tourist apartments, an 18-hole golf course (one of the largest in Andalucía) and a top-notch, international dressage equestrian centre, among other facilities - an investment of 78 million creating 671 jobs.

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Ilunion, the umbrella brand name for companies in the ONCE social welfare group, plans to create a recycling plant for electrical and electronic appliances in the province of Malaga, mirroring what Ilunion Reciclados has already achieved in Madrid and León.

The location has not yet been finalised, but investment will be around 10 million, with 260 direct and indirect jobs created. At least 70% of direct jobs will be for people with disabilities.

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Grupo Ubago, Malaga's market leader in smoked foods, has set itself the goal of producing all its own energy by installing over 3,000 solar panels across its three locations: two sites in La Línea de la Concepción (Cadiz) and head office in Malaga city.

The current phase now has 855 panels installed on the roofs of its buildings for a cost of 310,000 euros, generating 0.3MW of power.

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Once Malaga's city masterplan (PGOU) is approved, expansion of the Plaza Mayor shopping and leisure centre in Malaga can begin in 2024, allowing the second phase of the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet to be undertaken.

Plaza Mayor will become Spain's largest centre for luxury brands (currently 100 stores, expanding to 175) with improved access. In exchange for including this proposal in city plans, the municipal coffers will receive 3.8 million euros and Malaga will gain a 53,725-square-metre recreation park adjoining the San Julián district.

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The open-hearth ovens used to bake bread and pastries are a distinguishing feature of Mondat Baker's output, but this bakery in Monda is also characterised by its firm commitment to energy self-sufficiency by harnessing the sun hitting the factory's rooftops.

This project, worth 370,000 euros, will seek planning permission to install 1,260 photovoltaic panels producing 0.65MW of power. Another rooftop project will follow.

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The Globalia group has set its sights on Estepona to the tune of 780m euros.

Two high-end holiday and residential complexes in the areas of Arroyo Vaquero (1,400-room hotel, 600 apartments, 105 villas) and Guadalubón (610-room hotel, 405 apartments and 10 luxury villas) will jointly create 1,445 jobs.

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The second quarter of 2024 is the date set by the Junta to start work on a third public hospital for Malaga. Due to the complexity of granting permission for a build of this size, it is the only public initiative in the province entrusted to the accelerator unit.

The site will comprise four 15-storey towers (12 above and three below ground level). The main hospital activity will occupy eight entire floors, with 27 inpatient wards (810 rooms), a day hospital with 108 beds, as well as four ICU zones with 66 beds, 42 operating theatres, 48 outpatient major surgery places, 189 outpatient clinics, 31 specialised scanning resources and teaching and research facilities.

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The old Salyt brick factory, closed for over a decade, will make way for a commercial park once 'change of use' is approved in Malaga's PGOU. Developers Edifissa value the build at 35 million, generating some 350 jobs.

Proposals include buildings for a DIY chain, restaurant, supermarket, and gym or leisure facilities, with two additional plots for the city council to assign: one for commercial and the other for public use.