Record-breaking land auction on the Orihuela Costa: City Hall to earn over 23 million euros. Where will the new housing developments be built?

The city of Orihuela has concluded a bidding process for the sale of three strategic municipal lots zoned for residential development along the coast. Competition among developers brought a total of 23,161,915 euros (including VAT) into the city’s coffers—more than 1.54 million euros above the starting price. A total of approximately 255 new homes and apartments are planned for construction on the auctioned land. Here are the exact locations of the sold plots and the city hall’s plans for how to use this massive cash injection.

The auction attracted a total of seven real estate developers, and the winning bid exceeded the reserve price (21.61 million euros) by 7.14%. The winning companies now have 30 business days to pay the full amount of their winning bids. In addition to the purchase price itself, investors must settle all outstanding urban planning costs (cargas urbanísticas) associated with the plots before signing the notarial deed. If any of the buyers fails to meet the deadline, they will forfeit the deposit paid, and the transaction will be voided.

Where exactly was the land sold, and what will be built there?

The tender covered three very different locations along the Orihuela Costa strip—from coastal areas, through developing residential neighborhoods, to an exclusive enclave within the landscape park’s buffer zone:

• Las Colinas Golf / Peña del Águila (PAU 21): This is by far the most valuable and sought-after lot in the entire auction. The lot was won by Colinas Green Golf for over 11.4 million euros, accounting for as much as 53% of the city’s total revenue from this auction. The site is located in the heart of a 400-hectare forested and agricultural area that was rezoned for development 20 years ago—just before the Sierra Escalona and Dehesa de Campoamor ranges were placed under strict nature conservation measures. Today, these few plots adjacent to a prestigious golf course are selling for a fortune, and the villas and apartments being built here fall into the luxury segment.
• La Ciñuelica (PAU 20): The lot in this development was awarded to Innova Costa Blanca. This area is located at the junction of Punta Prima and the outskirts of Torrevieja, and is well known to Polish residents due to its proximity to beaches, shops, and a full range of amenities. The new development will add to the existing residential fabric in this popular part of the coast.
• La Cuerda Sector: The third parcel of land was awarded to the developer Desarrollo y Venta de Proyectos Inmobiliarios. This site is located inland from the coast (along the development axis toward Villamartín), and the planned development is expected to include dozens more residential units.

Where will the 23.1 million euros go? We know the coalition's promises

The sale of municipal property along the coast has been a source of great controversy for years among the residents of Orihuela Costa, who have repeatedly complained that the money generated by the coastal strip “disappears” in the historic center of Orihuela, more than 30 kilometers away.

This time, the city’s ruling two-party coalition (bipartito) has declared that the millions raised from the auction will be reinvested in the coastal region in the form of specific infrastructure projects. The authorities have committed to allocating the funds to:

• Water, sewer, and flood protection infrastructure: Modernization of the stormwater drainage system and the water distribution network, which regularly fail during heavy rains and DANA events.
• Construction of a civic center (centro cívico): A space for gatherings, cultural events, and administrative services for the coast’s ever-growing international community.
• Site preparation for a second health center (centro de salud): Funding for earthwork and infrastructure for a second public health facility on the coast, which is intended to relieve the drastically overburdened clinic in Aguamarina (Cabo Roig).

An injection of more than 23 million euros paves the way for the implementation of projects that residents have been awaiting for years. Residents and local organizations must now keep a close eye on the authorities and hold them accountable for the pace at which these commitments are fulfilled.