Posts Tagged antas
Junta backtracks and authorises 10,000 new houses in La Ballabona, Huercal Overa
The Junta de Andalucía has had a spectacular volte face and has declared the “La Ballabona” luxury city project “in the Interest of Tourism” (de interés turístico). 10,000 houses, a golf course, associated services and even a casino are part of the plans according to La Voz de Almería.
The La Ballabona project (which is that vast amount of citrus trees between Antas and Huercal Overa – look for the petrol station of the same name) was assumed to have been cancelled after the Junta, in 2007, published a new law forbidding the construction of homes based around a golf course. The idea was to create fewer resorts in the middle of nowhere and encourage sensible urban planning around pre-existent urban nuclei. All golf courses were to be built for public use.
It seems that part of the reason given for allowing La Ballabona to go ahead (it’s all based around a golf course, in strict contradiction to the decree) is that it has its own water source. Of course, what nobody is saying is that the aquifer it is tapping is the same aquifer that feeds the rest of the area.
It’s worth pointing out at this point that the municipality of Huercal Overa has 16.683 people (2006 census), or aprox 7250 homes.
La Ballabona now has to go through the normal urban planning hoops, but since the Junta has given the go – ahead… I suspect the local mayor is not exactly against the plan, given that he and 5 of his councillors are currently under investigation for Urban Corruption (etc. etc. etc. – our old buddies from Dizu are there too!) and the only other hurdle is the Water Authority, who are probably delighted to be able to up the usage of their fancy new desalination plants.
La Voz de Almería reckons that other “paralysed” projects in the area – such as Nuevo Cortijo Grande (originally 50,000 homes up in Cabrera, later cut down to 15,000), Lopez Rejas in Los Gallardos & Bedar (aprox 6,000 homes) or Sorbas Canyon in Sorbas – will now be reapplying under the same excemptions.
The POTALA contemplates the La Ballabona project, which is bloody stupid as just down the road is the Llano Central, and La Ballabona is sandwiched in between Antas industrial estate and the pig farms of Huercal.
Now, while many excuses will be coming out of Seville as to why this project is going ahead, it’s simple – it’s too big to stop and Seville knows it. Which is why Luis Caparros (better known as “Mr Bulldozer”, the Junta demolition man in the area) smiles and genuflucts and is happy that his holiday home is not in Almeria Levante.
BTW – what will the announcement of 10,000 new houses do to resale prices in this area?
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Fadesa overvalued its Antas land by 3000%
Martinsa Fadesa, the huge builder that recently went bust owing billions, and the company behind the Ballabona golf course project in Antas (never built, but planned to be part of Llano Central, but we can forget about that now) artifically revalued it’s holdings in Antas and Lucainena de los Torres by 3000%. To be brief, they brought the land for €4,2 million, but put it down as an asset worth €132 million. It was thanks to this, plus the same trick pulled in two fincas in Cadiz, that Fadesa claimed a profit large year, auditors who are going through the bankrupt companys books claim.
Ballabona fince is the large orange grove by the motorway past Antas towards Huercal Overa (look for the petrol station with a large “Ballabona” sign). It was going to be epic, everyone claimed. Currently, I should think the administrators are thanking the gods for the rent the orange farmers are paying.
Interesting interactive map of Antas
Posted by admin in Websites & Links on September 19th, 2008
Antas Fiestas
Fiestas in Antas! Starting this Friday, with all the usual noise and excitement.
The difference with the Antas fiesta is the pleasent walk/drive out of town on the Saturday (starting at 12 noon) when the statue of the Virgen is taken out of the church and born aloft to the top of the “Cabezo Maria”, which is the old building you can see ontop of the hill to the left as you drive towards Antas from Los Gallardos (there is a nice little picnic area at the bottom of the hill). For those of you that want, there is a free shuttle tourist bus going between the different main areas of the parade.
This is an ancient part of the fiesta, and the final struggle up the hill to the top is considered to be something all Antusos have to do at least once. Even if they have improved the track up now. The statue stays there until 20.00 hours, and meanwhile there will be a number of games and races in the picnic area; the statue is then born again aloft back to its church until next year.
Millindurrio, Antas
Posted by admin in Restaurants on July 10th, 2006
500m off the Antas/Vera crossroads (assuming it´s still open, with all the current roadworks) towards Antas, just before Ramblizo on the left, is Millindurrio, a small Spanish family run restaurant that I´ve been visiting on and off over the last few years. It´s one of those strange beasts that, despite relative success and longevity, hasn´t actually lost quality. And it does a damn fine menu del dia for only 10E. When the food is as good as the price, it doesn´t take much to make me happy.
Now, Millindurrio isn´t one of those restaurants which you go to for the fancy food on fine china, exquisite wine list and delicate waiters. Nor should you turn up for a meal unless you´re pretty good with your food Spanish – the menu is oral, and changes daily depending on what the cooks rustled up from the local market. And with a selection of between 10 to 20 dishes, it can be reminiscent of a Monty Python restaurant sketch. Still, in a worse case scenario, just have a selection of tapas, and point. They normally have a good selection of tapas arrayed along the bar counter.
Indeed, upon my last visit, once we´d randomly picked out a starter and main course from the verbal barrage (did she say pork loin? She did? Then I´ll go for that!) we were presented with a communal salad, a bottle of Casera, a bottle of plonk, a starter, a main course and a dessert. And a bill of E10 each. (E11 with coffee). Not bad for lunch.
When selecting a place for a hearty lunch, I always like to count up the number of locals eating and divide by the number of places available. Mind you, I always was bad at maths. But in general, you´ll have to elbow your way through the locals to get at the trough. Always a good sign.
I started with soup, which was a pleasant enough consume. Can´t remember what everybody else had, but it was all good enough. We followed this with pork loin, Martin had scallops, and Luisa macarrones. The wine was absolutely foul, but that´s why they include the Casera, make a very nice Tinto de Verano. I did have to order a martini rosso on the rocks to mix with it, which got a few strange looks.
For dessert, well, if it´s not flan con nata it´s not a menu del dia postre. Alright, you could have pan catalan or cheesecake.
Baileys and coffee to follow? Lovely. And then a wheelbarrow to be carried home in, please. Oh, and don´t forget to tip the somewhat vicious waitress.
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Where is it?
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| Millindurrio 500 m off the Antas / Vera exit, towards Antas, on the left before the vacant lot before Ramblizo. |
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