Abandoned Urbanisation Health Hazard in Orihuela Costa

News

Alex Watkins / 2007-10-29 15:02:43

Orihuela councillor for the PSOE Rosa Martínez, in the opposition at the Town Hall, recently drew attention to another example of "the lamentable urbanistic situation in Orihuela Costa."

This is another piece of news showing problems with Orihuela Costa urbanisations that has appeared in the Spanish press and on local TV channels Vega Baja TV and Tele-Orihuela, adding further pressure on the Town Hall to bring negligent builders to task.

The abandonment of 64 apartments on calle Nutria in Las Chismosas, Playa Flamenca, has long been an eyesore and a talking point for locals and has previously been featured in news articles in the 'Leader.' They were built ten years ago and nobody has occupied them for the last six.

It is a busy area with a park, several bars and restaurants where residents and tourists gather all year round. The site has become filled with dirt, rubbish, rubble, broken bottles and attracts rats. Squatters moved into several properties a few years ago and the police had to remove them and brick up the windows and doors. However the urbanisation remains open and local children gather amidst the unhygienic conditions where holes have been broken through the bricks to be able to get back inside the apartments.

A fire started outside in June, which residents were forced to put out themselves. Although they were able to clear some of the debris away afterwards, it has been mounting up again ever since.

Repeated attempts to clarify the situation or even find out who owns the flats have not been answered by the Town Hall, who told the president of a neighbouring urbanisation that they could not act because it was private property.

Martínez pointed out that, "We understand that all private areas must be fenced and clean and it is the Town Hall that has to act otherwise this is the result. The socialist party has asked the Mayoress to put an end to this situation to relieve the unpleasantness that residents of the coast are enduring."

The next meeting planned by the PSOE is on Thursday November 8th at 7.30pm at the Asturias Restaurant. On this occasion the details will be finalised for a protest against unfinished urbanisations to take place outside the Town Hall in Orihuela city for the council meeting on Tuesday November 27th at 10am (NOT the 26th as printed 2 weeks ago). A big turnout is hoped for of as many residents as possible who have been affected by problems with their homes and neighbourhoods, coming together in order to garner national media attention and force these issues to be addressed once and for all.

Meanwhile at the council meeting on Friday an appeal against the legality of the Villamartin PAU 7 project for 2,500 new houses was turned down by the PP majority despite the official report stating there is not enough water to supply the extra population. The council said the final approval would be down to regional PP government in Valencia. The PSOE asked if the promoter, multi-millionaire Orihuela businessman Pedrera, would put in the schools and medical centres needed for these 8,000 new residents.