The award marks the completion of the public tender process. Final transfer of ownership and land registration will occur once the successful bidders execute the public deeds before a notary and settle the purchase prices alongside applicable 21 per cent VAT.

Municipal reports justified the land disposal on the grounds that the parcels served no direct public purpose and incurred unnecessary maintenance costs for local taxpayers. Proceeds from the eventual sale will be allocated to public investment projects, while future housing construction is projected to yield municipal tax revenues and generate local employment.

The six La Montúa plots - ranging between 1,000 and 1,209 square metres each - were offered as a single lot covering 6,321 square metres because individual plots fell below the 2,000-square-metre minimum lot size required under single-family residential zoning.

The council awarded the lot to Marbella Not Boring Company, SL - an entity linked to law firm BGI Law (formerly Balms Abogados) - for €1,802,500, just €1,789.32 above the minimum tender price. The land had been registered in municipal ownership since 1996 following a judicial auction.

The larger Artola Alta plot, measuring 10,440 square metres, was awarded to SBS Highland Sierra Blanca, SL for €2,805,000 - €672.44 above the starting price. In both instances, the winning companies were the sole bidders.

The Artola Alta parcel is zoned for terraced housing (viviendas adosadas), permitting the construction of up to 44 residential units on the municipal section.

However, technical specifications in the tender document highlight several operational constraints:

• Water Infrastructure: The site is crossed by the strategic Río Verde high-pressure water pipeline, comprising two main 1,100mm diameter pipes and one secondary 300mm pipe.

• Rights of Way: A 12.5-metre-wide right-of-way path runs along the northern boundary, while an Acosol utility building occupies part of the southern perimeter.

• Developer Obligations: Town planning regulations require the buyers to fund and install public street lighting, vehicular access, drinking water connections, electricity infrastructure, and sewage systems.