Calvià plans demolition of eleven vacant shops in Magaluf

11 vacant shop premises to make way for public space

If you walk around the Punta Ballena area in Magaluf, you know the row of deserted shop windows: doors locked, shutters down, dust in the corners. Now the Calvià municipal administration has presented a plan that could change this corner: eleven shops that have been closed for a long time are to be bought and demolished.

What exactly is planned?

On the roughly 2,600 square metre site the municipality wants to create more space for the public. Specific uses are not yet decided — possibilities include a small green area, seating or a square for markets and events. Important: this is not about new buildings in the traditional sense, but open space instead of building fabric that has been lying dormant for years.

Costs and financing

The bill: roughly two million euros. Calvià has therefore applied for funding from tourism tax revenues to pay for the purchase and demolition. For the municipality this is a moderate amount, but in times of tight budgets such a project must be well justified.

Why now?

The row of shops has been empty for a long time and is seen as an eyesore, residents say. At the same time the municipality is interested in tidying up Magaluf's urban image and creating more public space — especially in the winter months, when it is quieter. A not unimportant side effect: fewer dilapidated areas can also improve feelings of safety.

Reactions from the neighbourhood

At the bakery on the corner you hear different voices: some residents welcome the idea, others ask about prospects for local businesses. A few hoteliers fear that a redesign will not be a short-term solution to structural problems in the town. Overall: skepticism but also curiosity — how the project will look in the end remains to be seen.

The administration plans to clarify the details in the coming weeks — permits, a possible schedule for the demolition and talks with owners are on the agenda. If all goes well, the first works could begin next year. Until then, walkers will continue to look at the same closed shop windows — and hope for life instead of vacancy.