| With the success of the Andalucía Technology Park | | | | education and experience) in the region which tends |
| (Parque Tecnologico de Andalucía) in Malaga, the | | | | to further increase outside investment. |
| Junta de Andalucía has declared the establishment | | | | Thus the reason for the expansion into Marbella. Not |
| of a new Technology Park Marbella. | | | | only will it help deliver economic and social benefit to |
| The head of Innovation, Science and Business for the | | | | the community. There will be a creation and |
| Junta has said that the new site will cover 197 | | | | promotion of a range of new career opportunities. |
| hectares on land that is currently made up of 300 | | | | And of course let us not forget that the project |
| privately owned estates and is designated as an | | | | should help act as a catalyst to the Marbella property |
| “area of opportunity” for the Costa del Sol in | | | | market. It should not be forgotten that Marbella has |
| the POT plan. The idea would be to reach a | | | | been the destination of many searching for a second |
| public-private agreement with the participation of | | | | home on the Costa del Sol. The high demand lead to |
| Marbella Town Hall and the landowners along with the | | | | a substantial increase in prices that, although having |
| regional authority for the development of the | | | | taken a beating over the last few years, are still |
| project. | | | | above the average for Spain in 2009. This should |
| Technology or industrial parks are, for those not | | | | further help alleviate the property market by |
| familiar with the terms, a means of promoting small | | | | attracting skilled labourers and families to the area. |
| and medium sized businesses with the overall aim of | | | | If such projections continue, not only will the Costa |
| generating economic growth, investment in an area | | | | del Sol slowly start to diversify further away from |
| and job creation. | | | | tourism, but might make Malaga into the equivalent |
| The technology park in Malaga has since its | | | | of the USA’s ‘Sunshine State’. |
| inauguration in 1992, has continuously grown and now | | | | Companies will be drawn to Marbella to set up |
| is currently home to 375 businesses covering | | | | headquarters as the quality of life is superior to |
| telecommunications, electronics, software and | | | | London, Frankfurt etc |
| advanced services, and is generating over 800 million | | | | Malaga is already well connected internationally via the |
| Euros annually. More than 70% of this sum is made | | | | Malaga airport and the high speed train means all |
| by businesses related to information technology and | | | | major cities in Spain are only a few hours away. |
| communications. | | | | There is of course still room for improvement in the |
| But the Tech Park in Malaga has not only brought | | | | Costa del Sol’s infrastructure. The main projects |
| financial benefits but also, in partnership with | | | | being the continuation of the Train line linking Marbella |
| University of Malaga, developed many cutting-edge | | | | to Malaga and the expansion and improvement of |
| technologies with the participation of students, which | | | | the communications networks. |
| has created a position of respect among all other | | | | If this project is handled correctly and, unlike the |
| Spanish universities. | | | | Malaga Park, made to attract foreign/international |
| Such parks ultimately help increase the human capital | | | | companies, then the long term benefits could be very |
| (skills and knowledge gained by a worker through | | | | high indeed. |