Lessons for all

A new school and a new emergency centre are putting Benahavis firmly on the map

CORNUCOPIA: Mix of items, while stars hold some trophies

PLOT: The 46,000m2 school has its location finalised ‘ instituto ’ will be able to teach 1,500 kids across primary, secondary and sixth form.

IT is set to become one of the most amazing schools in Andalucia.

When open, the new Benahavis

Sitting in an incredible natural location, surrounded by pine trees and with views of the nearby Sierra de las Nieves National Park, it will be an inspirational place to learn.

Expansive

Recently licenced, the public/ private school will be built on a 46,000 metre square plot, which will include expansive sports areas and other recreational space.

“It is being mostly financed by the town hall, like the new Estepona hospital, in order to speed things up,” explains councillor Scott Marshall.

“We envisage it costing around €10m and it will hugely benefit the town.”

In particular local kids will no longer need to be bussed to schools 30 minutes away at Salduba and Guadaiza, although there will be state-of-the-art facilities and smaller class sizes.

“We will have four classes in primary and secondary and three at instituto level, each class with no more than 25 kids,” continues Marshall. In order to reach the school, which sits in its own small valley, the council will be opening a new access road from the Capanes urbanization.

Another exciting opening for the town is the GREA emergency response centre on the Ronda road at Monte Halcones. Under construction for a year, the high-tech centre will be one of three key crisis response centres for Andalucia.

Drones

Kitted out with all the latest monitoring equipment, including drones and satellite communication, its team will be ready to mobilise within an hour. “With the increasing threat of fires due to global warming, as well as a continual risk of flooding, it is a vital and exciting addition to Malaga’s infrastructure,” explains Marshall.