The Mayor of Mazarron has great ideas to boost Mazarron and Puerto Mazarron, areas that are very popular with foreign residents of the Costa Calida. And he has the money to put his plans into action.

Mayor Francisco Blaya told Round Town News in an exclusive interview about the big things that are already happening. No less than 21 million Euros has been obtained to make improvements that will transform the area. The money is made up of a mixture of national, regional and EU sources.

"Mazarron is a great place to live," said the mayor. "We love having so many foreign friends living here and we are going to make things even better for them in the future." In fact, Mr Blaya says that the population could even double from its current 28,000 level today. That's just fine by him. The town is already working hard on its second annual British pop festival after the success of last year's event.

The 21 million Euros is already being spent on very practical improvements but some of them won't be seen above the ground. At present a main street, the Via Axial, is largely closed for the laying of a new drainage and sewerage system and a treatment plant has already been completed. Once the pipes are all in place and houses and businesses connected up all irrigation systems for planned parks and plantings will use re-cycled water. This is the first time in Spain, said the mayor, that such a large-scale system has been used.

Much of Puerto Mazarron's beachfront and town centre area is being converted into a pedestrianised zone so that residents and visitors will be able to wander about in safety without having to dodge out of the way of cars.

Car parking is not forgotten. Currently a big new marina is being constructed to provide hundreds of additional anchorages for pleasure craft. When finished, there will be some 300 underground car parking spaces available at the marina. This summer, however, while construction work takes place, a big area of land has been found by the waterfront to replace the area previously used for parking.

All the beaches are to be improved so that everyone has access to facilities such as showers, pathways, walkways, shade and toilets. Signs are also being significantly improved. In fact, a paseo, or walkway is being built that will link up all the beaches so people can walk the several kilometres between the centre of Puerto Mazarron and Bolnuevo entirely along the waterfront. There will also be many special bicycle tracks safe from vehicles.

A system of walks in the hills and surrounding countryside is being developed and expanded with special signs to make routes and information available in a range of languages. Special hiking routes will begin at Bolnuevo, near to the large campsite. There are already some 15 routes in existence.

The two towns of Mazarron and Puerto Mazarron will be a lot greener in the future, with roundabouts, roadside verges and spare areas of land being planted with thousands of flowers, trees and shrubs. A new, 7,000 square metre, park is being built on the coastline near the lighthouse. In the same area an outdoor concert facility will be built.

A hot springs area near Camposol will be improved as a modern facility open to the public offering a range of baths and treatments.

Opposite to the BP petrol station on the road from Mazarron to Alhama, a big new leisure centre is to be built. This will feature facilities such as a swimming pool, exercise areas and games halls. There will also be a high-class shopping centre and a cinema complex.

Two new roads are important infrastructure facilities. One will run up to the Totana/Alhama area, linking with the national motorway network. Another new road will cut across the area, as it links Cartagena and Vera. In urban areas, potholes are being removed and new surfaces laid. The new airport being built at Corvera will be another important advantage.

Mr Blaya said that all these were practical projects now being implemented - not just plans. He said that his term of office would run for about four years and he hoped to be voted in again as it would probably take about eight years to make all of his future programme a reality.

One problem that concerns a number of foreign residents of the area is the question of the huge Camposol development. Mr Blaya explained that he wanted to take over the first part of Camposol as soon as possible and all plans had already been completed for facilities such as a health centre, post office and other municipal services. The bus service is ready to start. However, the developer has yet to formally make completion there and this is holding up any action.

A priority, in relation to tourism, is to provide activities in Mazarron and Puerto Mazarron that will supply interest all the year round rather than just in the hectic months of high summer, when the population can swell to some quarter of a million people.

The area has a history stretching back to Roman times and beyond and was famous for its fish products and for its mines. A museum in Puerto Mazarron about the fish salting industry is already drawing lots of interest and plans are being developed for a theme park around the mining history of the colourful spoil heaps and abandoned facilities of Mazarron. The existing historical attractions are being restored and a new tourism office is being opened in what was formerly the bandstand in the centre of Puerto Mazarron.

Mr Blaya, who was born in Mazarron, said that he thought there were about 3,000 permanent residents from other EU countries in the area and, overall, there were people from 61 different nationalities who made Puerto Mazarron and Mazarron their home.

"This is the best place to live and visit," he said. "And we're going to make it better for everyone."


Roundtownnews