Reprieve for Cala Mayor apartment blocks

THE Pullman, Panam's, Randa and Deia apartment blocks in Cala Mayor have been reprieved and will no longer be demolished as the city council has reached an agreement with owners and tenants, who have agreed to refurbish them. The news was confirmed by Javier Rodrigo de Santos, deputy mayor in charge of planning.
Neighbours in the area have welcomed the solution to a problem which has been dragging on for years.
The buildings were slated for demoltion under a special reform plan (PERI) for Cala Mayor and San Agustin approved lasst December.
Other measures included in the PERI will be maintained, such as reconverting 17 of the 20 hotels in the area into flats, and reducing the height of new buildings. At the time the PERI was approved, 750 people living in the four apartment blocks, the council opposition and the environment group GOB lodged objections. De Santos had already hinted in February that the council would reconsider the demolition order if the majority of the residents of Cala Mayor were opposed to it. He said that talks had been held with neighbours affected by the demolition over the past few months and an agreement had been reached to make more gardens and open a new road. The owners of the Pullman buildings will pay for the road and the city council will be responsible for its upkeep. The new road will improve access to the area, de Santos said.