Málaga City Council has given final approval to the redevelopment of El Bulto, one of the most anticipated residential projects in the Andalusian city. The Urban Planning Board has awarded the development works to Euro Andalucía Eventos, a company linked to the Marbella-based developer Sierra Blanca Estates.
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With this decision, the tender process comes to an end. Two bidders competed for the project: Sierra Blanca Estates and a joint venture formed by Urbania and Guamar. According to the City Council, the latter's legal and financial proposal failed to meet the technical requirements set out in the tender specifications and the associated technical proposal.
By contrast, Sierra Blanca submitted a proposal with urbanisation costs of nearly €6.5 million and a land valuation of €2.65 million, figures that were more closely aligned with the project's budget. The developer also demonstrated access to an additional 1,755 m² of land through an agreement with the Diocese.
Zaha Hadid's tower: centrepiece of the project
The most striking architectural feature of the proposal is a 23-storey residential tower designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the practice founded by the late Iraqi-British architect, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in contemporary architecture.
The tower will contain 153 private homes and include commercial premises on its lower floors. Its main façade, measuring 40 metres in length, will gradually step down towards Huelin Park to minimise the visual barrier effect highlighted in a previous report by the Coastal Authority.
According to the developer, the tower occupies only 13% of the 295-metre frontage facing Antonio Machado Promenade.
80 affordable homes, public facilities and community amenities
The project extends well beyond the high-rise tower. The overall scheme includes two residential buildings of ground floor plus nine storeys, which will provide 80 affordable housing units, bringing the total number of homes in the development to 233.
The plans also include the creation of a large 21,055 m² central community area, within which the City Council will receive two plots for public use.
Another significant element of the project is the removal of the football pitch located next to the school. It will be replaced by an underground car park with both public and private spaces, above which a new football pitch will be built.
Overall, the development covers approximately 47,000 m² in a strategic location close to both Málaga city centre and the seafront.
Timeline and implementation
The urban development agreement describes an execution period of 25 months and is divided into two main phases: an initial administrative stage followed by the construction phase.
The transformation of El Bulto has been under discussion for years. Located in the Carretera de Cádiz district, the site represents one of the last major undeveloped plots within Málaga's consolidated urban area, and its redevelopment into a new residential and community-focused neighbourhood has been the subject of extensive planning debate.
The award to Sierra Blanca, a developer with extensive experience in the luxury residential market on the Costa del Sol, formally marks the beginning of a project set to significantly reshape Málaga's western waterfront.
