The municipality of Malaga, affected by the tentacles of “gilismo” and epicenter of the Astapa operation, is overcoming its darkest years with a transformation that has earned it a place as finalist for the European City of the Year award in urban planning.
The pedestrianization of 130 streets is one of the projects praised by town planners (Estepona town hall).
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Is it possible to go from occupying space and time in the media for various corrupt practices, suspicious real estate deals and politicians under investigation, to becoming European City of the Year for urban planning in just over a decade?
It’s possible.
Estepona, a booming municipality on the Costa del Sol, whose transformation caught the eye of members of the Academy of Urban Planning, who named it a finalist for a prestigious prize which, in previous years, has rewarded the metamorphosis of Bilbao or San Sebastián, for example.
The town of Estepona, which became one of GIL’s expansion points after its success in neighboring Marbella, suffered the blows that consumed the entire pristine Málaga coast and was the epicenter of criminal intrigues based on urban corruption.
Astapa, who is still awaiting sentencing, is the main one.
This meant the political end of the mayor at the time, the socialist Antonio Barrientos, who was replaced by one of the pillars of the case against him, his party colleague David Valadez.
Photo: Image of the Estepona Town Hall (Mairie d’Estepona).
Estepona inaugurates its new town hall, the most efficient and sustainable in Spain The affair was followed by a tortuous investigation that revealed criminal practices such as the alleged concession of municipal jobs in exchange for votes and premeditated inaction to let a thousand offenses die for building on undeveloped land, extending housing or earthworks, according to national police investigations and the prosecutor’s account.
The municipality’s image was severely damaged, especially when the name of ex-commissioner José Manuel Villarejo came up in the investigation.
Add to this the economic situation of a municipality on the verge of bankruptcy, with a debt that exceeded 300 million euros 12 years ago.
A situation which, for example, means that local police cars cannot go out on patrol for lack of money for petrol, and which puts the average payment period to suppliers at 1,492 days.
The municipality hopes to complete its opening up to the sea by completing the pedestrian boulevard that runs along the coast, but the situation in Estepona has taken a 180-degree turn.
Partly because of the austerity and cost-containment measures imposed by the mayor in office since 2011, José María García Urbano, on which an economic recovery that has been key to the city’s subsequent development was based.
A change based on “good urban planning practice”, which has been recognized by the Academy of Urban Planning, an independent international non-profit organization of urban planning leaders, thinkers and practitioners.
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But what has this municipality done right to be named “European City of the Year” in the field of urban planning?
“To be at the forefront of sustainable cities that are committed to quality of life, the well-being of citizens, the environment and ample space for pedestrians”, said the city council, which a few days ago presented the final phase of work that will culminate in the city’s definitive opening to the sea thanks to “one of the best promenades in the country”.
Estepona, garden of the Costa del Sol, has been one of the most widely recognized actions.
So far, it has involved reshaping infrastructure and restricting road traffic in 130 streets and public squares.
“This urban transformation through an ecologically sustainable project has led to an explosion in tourist, commercial and restaurant activity, in a more human, resilient and lively city,” remarked municipal sources, who highlighted the creation of the Balcón al Mediterráneo as a complement to the boulevard that runs along the coast.
This is a redeveloped area in which “a unique watchtower” has been built for cultural and leisure purposes.
At the “heart” of the commune, where a sustainable development model has been implemented, personalized by flowers and colors on the facades, dominates the botanical park-orchidarium.
A facility “unique in Europe” for its collection of orchids and tropical species.
The revitalization of the urban center is accompanied by two important cultural actions: the creation of an open-air museum, with more than 60 murals on building facades, and a large library composed of poems included in a route with works by different artists.
The Academy of Urban Planning explained that Estepona succeeded in being one of this year’s three finalists, in addition to its initiative to unify its entire coastline thanks to the coastal corridor or the integration into the urban landscape of cultural proposals, for the increasing pedestrianization of its streets, in search of more sustainable urban mobility.
A commitment in which a “parking network” at a cost of 1 euro per day to the user has been a key factor.
