Latest shot fired in school battle

MIJAS council has fired another shot in the war to get a new school for Las Lagunas.

Worried that 400 children are still being taught in pre-fabricated classrooms in the playground of the Tamixa school, many of which leak when it rains, the council has set aside land for a new school.

But the regional government (Junta de Andalucia) says the land is liable to flooding and refused to proceed with plans.

So that locals can judge for themselves, Mijas council has installed information panels at the site, where people can see the difference between the level of the school and the river.

They show, says the council, that the site is well above the river level.

The town hall has also promised that as soon as the project is accepted and the start of work announced, a building permit will be granted.

Mijas town hall has already provided land for the school as requested by the Junta de Andalucia and spent €600,000 preparing the plot for use.

Now local councillor for Education, Lourdes Burgos, has asked the Education Department to “accept its responsibility” and go ahead with the school.

No new schools have been built in Mijas since 2006, despite the fact that it is one of the most rapidly growing areas on the Costa del Sol.