Foundation stone laid for new Junta offices in Malaga that will house 460 staff and save 1.7 million euros a year in rent
The eight-floor building will house the Andalucía regional government's departments of agriculture, development and culture
The Junta de Andalucía regional government has set the first stone in a pending project in Malaga: the construction of a building in the Cruz del Humilladero neighbourhood to house some of the Junta's key departments. The project was conceived in 2008, put on hold in 2010 and finally resumed this year. With a budget of around 30 million euros, the regional government estimates that it will take two and a half years until it is completed.
Regional minister of economy and finance Carolina España (PP) was the person who laid the first stone on Monday. She accused the PSOE party that previously headed the Junta for the delay and the forgotten investment. According to España, the administrative building will contribute to the revitalisation of the whole area.
Which departments will be located in the building?
The new building will house some of the Junta's agriculture department, public works (Fomento) land management service, the regional directorate for sustainable development and the cultural assets service.
In total, around 470 civil servants will work in the building, which will have four underground floors and just as many above the ground. The architects behind the project have described the construction as "compact, simple and representative", accessible by everybody. The photovoltaic facade of the building will ensure its energy efficiency.
España also said that, once the new building is in use, more than 1.7 million euros per year will be saved on rent. "In the not too distant future, the cost of this building will be completely amortised with the savings we are going to make on rents," she said. According to the regional minister, the Junta team currently in office is focusing on correcting the mistakes of the previous regional government, using the administration's assets and seeking to save on rent.
2.5 million euros
is how much the Junta's departments have saved on rentals in Malaga province
So far, the Junta has accumulated 138 million euros from auctions, concessions and direct awards for abandoned buildings and assets.
In addition, the Junta has recovered 70 buildings that were sold for sub-letting - an operation that specifically in Malaga involved an investment of 32 million euros, saving 2.5 million euros in rents. With the new building to be erected in Cruz del Humilladero, the annual expenditure on rents for Junta offices in the province will be practically eliminated.
