Marbella finalises expropriation of 'illegally occupied' Puerto Rico land

Marbella town hall is finalising the expropriation of the Puerto Rico land after a "difficult" agreement reached with the owners of the property was approved by council members.

In total, the town hall will pay 365,000 euros for 30,000 square metres of the rustic area, while trying to resolve the "legal issue" with the group that occupies the plot.

The objective is to integrate the land into an urban park for public use after the acquisition of surrounding areas in recent years. However, the plot is currently used by members of green-campaigning group Mar Puro, who present themselves as a non-profit organisation.

"They had permission from the previous owners, but that expired a long time ago," said council spokesperson Félix Romero.