Calvia to build new Guardia Civil barracks

The Calvia town council will build a new barracks for the Guardia Civil at the Son Bugadelles services estate, as the existing premises are far too small to cope with demand during the busy summer months. The barracks will be built on a 4'870 square metre council-owned plot of land in Calle Alicante, next to the new Local Police station which is currently being built. Work will cost approximately 1.6 million euros. The Calvia council will advance the money for construction and will recover the money from the central government over the next four years. Agreement has already been reached with the Guardia Civil, but the basic project has yet to be signed. The building has been designed by municipal architect Gabriel Palmer. It will be a two storey building with a basement. The basement and ground floor will be for general services, offices open to the public, washrooms, dressing rooms, car park and holding cells, and the first floor will have 16 flats for single Guardia Civil officers and three for the commanding officers or married officers. Although the agreement between the Calvia council and the central government has not yet been signed, work is expected to start some time this year. The building will take 18 months to complete. The new barracks is badly needed as the Guardia Civil offices in Calvia and Peguera were closed several years ago, and the one in Palmanova is in a poor state of repair. Calvia includes some of the most popular resorts on the island, such as Palmanova, Magalluf, Paguera, Santa Ponsa and Illetas, and the population swells in summer, when there is also an increase in petty crime, hence the need for bigger and better barracks.