What Has Become of the €31 Million Investment Plan for Orihuela Costa?

During the July 30th municipal plenary session, opposition parties clashed with the ruling PP and VOX council over investments for Orihuela Costa during the 2023-2027 term. To provide a factual account, let's examine the data from the municipal archives.

Firstly, €10.4 million (33% of the total) has been invested so far. Among these completed projects, waste management stands out with the acquisition of 12 refuse trucks and replacements of one-third of coastal waste bins. However, these measures remain inadequate for addressing the municipality's needs during peak summer months.

Similarly, maintenance services for green spaces, play areas, and roads have suffered from resource shortages, leading to an inadequate outcome. Road resurfacing on key routes like Avenida de Villamartín has improved, but the ambitious, multi-million-euro initiative is still pending for over 700 coastal roads. Coastal repairs, such as the railings at Playa Flamenca and La Zenia, were poorly executed, highlighting the shortcomings in oversight by the councillor responsible for coastal projects.

Moving on to investments currently underway in the coming months, the total is another €10.4 million (33%). These projects include the new drinking water reservoir, upgrades to street cleaning and waste collection infrastructure, renewal of the drinking water network, resurfacing of Miguel de Cervantes Street, and installation of a stormwater drain.

However, there are significant doubts about the completion of the pedestrian bridge extension over AP7, potentially delaying its opening until the new administration in June 2027.

Lastly, there are investments unlikely to be completed by May 2027, totaling €10.8 million (34%). These include the Second Health Centre, which will not be ready until at least 2029, the Civic Centre and Auditorium, and the Local Waste Management Plan with delayed implementation of required measures. Additionally, the Permanent Coastal Recycling Centre, essential to tackle the chaos caused by uncontrolled dumping of waste, remains unfinished.

In conclusion, of the €31 million planned for the coastal area over four years, one-third has been completed, and another third is projected to be finished before the May 2027 elections. While these figures represent progress, they fall short of delivering the necessary improvements in basic coastal services demanded by the residents. This term's failure to meet service standards reinforces the belief that adequate municipal services can only be achieved through segregation.