Marbella pushes to convert abandoned illegal building into healthcare worker housing

The property is a remnant of the town's dark urban planning past - one of the assets recovered by the town hall as compensation for the mass embezzlement during the Jesús Gil era and the subsequent Malaya corruption scandal.

Despite its potential, the building sits unused as it is in a legal minefield. It was constructed without regard for national infrastructure regulations, leading to a significant conflict with Spain's Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility.

•The Violation: Part of the structure sits within the "road easement zone."

•The Rule: Under Spain’s Highways Act, buildings must be set back at least 50 metres from motorways and dual carriageways like the A-7.

•The Current Status: The general directorate for highways (Carreteras) has previously blocked the project, including a failed unanimous bid by the council in October 2023.

The municipal government will bring the proposal back to the next plenary session, pinning its hopes on a specific clause within the Highways Act. The law allows the Ministry to reduce building limits for documented "geographical or socio-economic reasons."

Council sources argue that the urgent need for affordable healthcare housing in a high-cost area like Marbella justifies this exception. They point out that this legal flexibility has been applied in other Spanish municipalities and should be granted here to serve the public interest.

The building was originally seized from Juan Antonio Roca, the mastermind behind the Malaya case. Since its recovery, the 15,000-square-metre "skeleton" has sat unfinished, despite a valuation once estimated at seven million euros.

Past attempts at repurposing:

•2018: A plan was signed to convert the site into Marbella's law courts.

•Current: The law courts have since been relocated to the La Torrecilla area, leaving the hospital site vacant for this latest housing initiative.

If the Ministry of Transport relents, the "half-built" structure would finally be completed, providing relief for medical professionals who currently struggle to find accommodation in the town.