Santa María Polo Club and development

Rio polo grounds

SAN ROQUE / Sotogrande (Agencies) Santa María Polo Club and Ayala España, the developers of polo as a sport of reference in the Campo de Gibraltar, is planning to build on what was until recently the centre of the sport in Sotogrande, the Rio I and II fields right in the middle of the luxury urbanization. They have received initial approval from San Roque Council for two projects, though this depends finally on regional approval of the PGOU (Plan General de Ordenación Urbana). Initial approval has also been received, this by Santa María Polo Club only, for a development at Los Pinos polo grounds, which is backed by this project being clasified as 'of touristic interest'. As for the Rio project, plans are for low density construction and what is being called a 'river park'. Homes are planned at only one or two per hectare. The plans also include regenerating the Guadiaro River with mooring and a sports facility (presumably to be related to boating), as well as a nine hole golf course and a rowing club. The project envisages an investment of €1.4million to be shared by both companies.>>>

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A second agreement between the three parts is to do with Sotopaniagua, at the Paniagua entrance to Sotogrande. A 2002 agreement was set to build some 500 homes there, but this will be reduced to 160. The company has also agreed to finance a children's park for €307,000 and access and streets to the value of €1.

Development at Los Pinos

Regarding development of Los Pinos, Mayor Juan Carlos Ruiz Boix held a meeting with the Andalucía water authorities at the Environment Council of the Junta, where he was told that the project had that authority's approval to change PGOU for San Roque and include the tourist residential complex within it.

Ruiz Boix said in a statement after the meeting that this was an important project for San Roque, giving the Campo de Gibraltar the possibility of opening up as an 'area of opportunity' (which, being in a backwater, receives better backing from the authorities) and will generate a significant amount of employment, "as well as securing San Roque's position as the capital of Europena polo."