Santa Pola sailing club’s plan becalmed

THE regional government ruled out extending the Santa Pola Club Nautico’s concession at present.

Club executives are now seeking legal advice on options allowing them to plan for the future, according to Spanish media reports.

Although the club’s concession expires in 2033 it has cited a clause in the Ley de Puertos (Ports Law) allowing a concessionary who invests in the installation during the last third of the agreed period to remain for another 10 or 15 years.

This would coincide with early 2023, said the club’s president Pascual Orts, who also revealed that the club was prepared to spend more than €4 million on remodelling the quays and its social centre while improving energy-efficiency.

Club Nautico representatives recently explained to the Ports Authority that they need to know what lies ahead before investing in the port.

The officials replied that according to the regulations, the concession for occupying the port could be renewed, but would come into effect once it was approved and not when the existing concession expired

This would be of little help, Club Nautico sources said, and would not clarify the present situation.

The Ports Authority also made it clear that its current priorities were resolving the situation of other yacht clubs whose concessions had expired or were about to do so.