Marbella's quieter port could soon be attracting an A-list of its very own, after plans for a 400 million euro investment, including a cruise ship terminal, were approved.

Puerto Banus may be the most iconic port in southern Spain, but it could soon have a rival just down the road, thanks to a £350 million investment.

Marbella's La Bajadilla marina has always played second fiddle to her glitzy sibling which is the chosen hangout of celebrities, millionaires and anyone who wants to drool over superyachts.

But Marbella's quieter port could soon be attracting an A-list of its very own, after plans for a 400 million euro investment, including a cruise ship terminal, were approved.


Millionaires' hangout: Puerto Banus has long attracted the rich and famous

Qatari Sheikh Abdullah Ben Nasser Al-Thani, who owns Malaga Football Club, will extend the port and include a 200m quay for cruise liners in a bid to attract a new form of tourism of Marbella's shores.

Plans for a five-star hotel on the marina, as well as bars, restaurants, shops and supermarkets will revamp the eastern area of the city, bringing La Bajadilla in line with famous Puerto Banus in the west.

 
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Development chiefs have asked for the new marina to be 'emblematic', hoping it will become a top holiday destination.

It already has a tourist industry, with its own hotels and beaches, but the investment would attract a larger number of high-end visitors.

An industrial state, which has dominated the eastern coastline on the outskirts of Marbella for decades, will also be done away with to create an area for more urban development and green space. It will eventually be serviced by an AVE (high speed) train line, to link it with the rest of Spain.

The project is being referred to as the most important urban development in Marbella's history.


Big plans: La Bajadilla, 15 minutes east of Puerto Banus, is undergoing major redevelopment

Luxury marina Puerto Banus has long been a hangout for royalty and celebrities who like to be spotted on their private yachts.

It is also set to star in popular 'reality' TV show The Only Way Is Essex, as a hen night destination for the characters.

The redevelopment of Marbella's less tourist-friendly east side marks an effort by the Spanish authorities to invest in Spain's future after tourism dipped dramatically during the recession.

Recent visitor figures show that price cuts and special offers have been tempting Britons back to Spanish shores, with bookings in Benidorm up 16 per cent for the beginning of May.

The Balearic Islands have also seen a sharp rise in the number of British tourists visiting, with an average 25 per cent rise in bookings compared to 2010.

Ibiza is faring particularly well, with a 37 per cent increase in British holidaymakers.