On Tuesday Orihuela’s Governing Board finally approved the opening of the contracting file for the construction of the Costa Emergency Centre, with a budget of 2,194,913 euros.

The spokesman for the Government team, José Aix, said that once the tender has been accepted, the builder will have a period of ten months to complete the long awaited project.

The building, to be sited in La Zenia, will improve response times in an emergency as well as improving the security on the Orihuela Costa.

Work first began in 2010, with the funds from the Generalitat Valenciana, but the works to a halt in 2012 after the construction company declared itself bankrupt.

Since then, the coastal residents have been fighting for completion of the building that will house the Local Police, Civil Guard, Civil Protection, Immigration and Firefighters and thus improve response times in cases of emergency. The building will also have an emergency heliport and will serve as a SAMU base during summer periods.

Deputy mayor José Aix has said that “for the City Council it is a priority that this tender goes ahead as soon as possible” so the countdown begins to ensure that “this structure finally becomes a reality”.