This project, in its first phase, involves the widening of pavements and the creation of one-way traffic coming into Puerto Pollensa from Alcudia as far as the roundabout at the entrance to the yacht club. It has a budget of 1.4 million euros, of which the government is providing 600,000 via the "bolsa" fund created with revenue for legalising hotel places that needed legalising. The town hall is providing the rest.
The bolsa is currently financing seven projects at a total value of almost 6.4 million euros. In addition to Puerto Pollensa, there is the remodelling of the avenue in Magalluf, Paguera's Eucaliptus street and Puig de sa Morisca centre, plus the sports centre in the Sant Llorenç part of Cala Millor, work in Cala Major and a cycle lane from Es Calonge to the football ground in Cala d'Or. These various projects are all due to be completed in early May.
This winter, projects worth 9.6 million euros will be started, while a further 15 million euros are due to be drawn from the bolsa fund this summer and to be allocated to work in different municipalities. The minister says of all this that it is important investment for the remodelling of tourist resorts, for the rehabilitation of heritage and for adding value to resorts with a vision of the future. Moreover, it is investment that will contribute to the creation of jobs in the low season.
Pollensa's mayor, Miquel Angel March, explained that the second phase of the Puerto Pollensa project will be started after this summer's season. "It is a project of gradual pedestrianisation to improve the front line of the port which will convert a main road into a promenade with pedestrians being given greater importance."
In addition to widening the pavements, the streetlights and trees are being changed along a 1,700 metre stretch. The second phase will involve laying a form of cobble in this part, to provide a bike lane separate from the road and to improve the wall along the beach.
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Mallorca's resorts were all built around the same time, so they all need hefty investment around the same time to keep them habitable (the infrastructure is failing). The hotel group used all the money they made to invest in overseas hotels, doing little for the resorts which helped create their wealth. All take and no give, no wonder the rest of us have to pay such high taxes on this very rich island.
Sean, I guess a point about this fund is that the cash is finite in that the period for legalising hotel places has now finished. How much will be left in the pot after these rounds of investment are undertaken, I'm unsure. I seem to recall a figure of 68 million being the total raised. This may now all be allocated. A further point is that Barceló can take no credit for this. The fund was a creation of Miquel Nadal, the then minister for tourism, around 2008/2009. He was with the now defunct UM, which was the arch-enemy of the PSM (of which Barceló is a member). For him to now be taking some of the glory is somewhat contrary. The fund was specifically for resort infrastructures, such as Puerto Pollensa. If the investment from this was so good, in Barceló's estimation, then why is there not now far greater emphasis on resort infrastructure enhancements with the tourist tax revenue? Only he knows.
It seems to me that when previously unknown sources of finance such as this suddenly appear,there is no need for a tourist tax.