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The renovation of the Torrevieja ice factory will cost 6.6 million euros

The local government board of the Torrevieja City Council has approved the project to carry out the rehabilitation of the protected building of the Ice Factory on Calle Orihuela with Faleria (formerly Acarretos). The project will also include the adjacent plot of the former Gloria Cinema.

The General Urban Development Plan protects the Ice Factory building, which dates to the late 1920s. The municipal treasuries spent 900,000 euros to acquire the plot, which spans approximately 300 square meters. The initial price was 800,000 euros, but they later increased it by 100,000 euros.

Another 300 square metres of the adjacent property, which was recently converted into a parking lot for municipal employees, is situated between Orihuela and Salero streets. Previously, the Gloria cinema used it as a summer cinema. The City Council acquired it for €840,000 in early 2023.

The buildable area of 2,273 square metres is distributed over the ground floor and four floors in the unified design of both structures, which must at least match the appearance of the façade and roof of the current ice factory.

Invitation to tender


Federico Alarcón, the government spokesman, announced on Thursday that the works are anticipated to be awarded “in one or two weeks” after being placed out to tender. The final project’s scope and intended use have not been disclosed by the Popular Party governing team.

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The mayor, Eduardo Dolón, has been advocating for the Ice Factory to serve as the new tourist office. This is due to the municipal plan to demolish the old Miramar building, which currently houses the tourist office, to utilise the basement as a parking lot and the upper deck as a viewing platform that provides a view of the bay, including the sport boat docks and the Eras de la Sal.

Redevelopment of the Salt Eras


The Ice Factory project is a component of a broader redevelopment and rehabilitation initiative that encompasses the entire region encircling the Eras de la Sal, the industrial heritage site that established the city and its salt mines. Initially revealed in February 2021, the initiative remains unfinished. In various phases, the project is currently only in the process of draughting and conducting archaeological investigations.

The project encompasses the restoration of the salt mines’ administrative structure, the original walls and paving of the site, which date back to the mid-18th century, and the trestle that was reconstructed in the late 1990s. The proposal also encompasses the construction of the Sea and Salt Museum on the slope of the Upper Era, as well as the construction of an open-air auditorium on the surface that is currently occupied by the Marina Internacional dry dock.

Among other projects, the initiative is complemented by the redevelopment of Faleria Avenue, the current Maestro Velero promenade, and a portion of the Vista Alegre promenade, as well as a verdant area over the future museum.

Remains of archaeological significance


The City Council commissioned an archaeological investigation of the subsoil of the Ice Factory in the event that it uncovered any intriguing remains, such as the fort and watchtower that gave the city its name. Arpa Patrimonio, the corporation that the municipality directly commissioned for these excavations under a minor contract, reported the discovery of no significant remains. The team of specialists in the region did, however, identify that the building’s distinctive wooden roof is in a state of disrepair and has collapsed in certain regions.

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Thirty-one million euros


All of these projects, which are collectively valued at €31 million, are currently on pause due to the necessity of obtaining a public domain concession from the Generalitat Valenciana (Generalitat Valenciana), the administration responsible for the port’s public domain. The City Council’s formal request for this concession has made it accessible to the public. This is an exception to the Ice Factory, which is not under the jurisdiction of the Consell.

Therefore, they are commencing immediately. Because the Municipal Theatre has hosted the International Habanera and Polyphony Competition for the past three years, the municipality prioritised the construction of the auditorium in addition to renovating the ice factory. The theatre will also host this year’s competition at the end of July.

Additionally, the City Council anticipates receiving a portion of the ERDF funds, although funding is only partially guaranteed.


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Costa Blanca

Lifeless body of missing 20-year-old found in Elche

SOS Missing Persons has disclosed the most distressing information regarding the disappearance of Stiven, a young man who has been missing for several days.

The police, family members, and friends had been searching for him since April 19th, following a complaint from his relatives who were profoundly concerned about his vulnerability as a young man.

Yesterday his body was discovered in the Pantano region, and there were no indications of violence. The autopsy results will be disclosed in order to ascertain the cause of his death.


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Socialist group in Alicante proposes regulating motorhome tourism

At the upcoming plenary session, the Socialist Municipal Group will suggest that the requisite procedures be initiated to establish a motorhome car park in Alicante that is adequately equipped. Additionally, the group will advocate for the completion of a feasibility study to ascertain the most appropriate location, the requisite technical specifications, the investment and maintenance costs, and potential sources of funding. Socialist Councillor Trini Amorós emphasised the necessity of advancing with this project in order to rectify the current situation, which is characterised by the failure to regulate the tourism sector, which is a significant contributor to the local economy, and the resulting issues related to a lack of regulation.

“The Easter tourism campaign has just concluded, and the governing team of Barcala has been unable to resolve an issue that has been lingering since 2021, when the designated area on San Juan beach was dismantled.” Amorós underscored that the absence of the necessary services for this form of tourism, including parking, water, and electricity connections, has resulted in a significant number of drivers parking in urban areas, which has caused inconveniences in specific neighbourhoods.

In particular, the proposal that will be presented at the plenary session on Thursday will involve the development of a study that considers user requirements, environmental impact, landscape integration, and proximity to tourist services. Therefore, the registered institutional declaration encourages the necessary dialogue with motorhome associations and groups, through the appropriate municipal departments, to ascertain their opinions and requirements regarding the design and administration of the future parking lot. The objective is to allocate a budget to finance the creation and implementation of the motorhome parking lot in the upcoming municipal budget, following the completion of the feasibility study and the definition of the project’s characteristics.

The absence of a designated parking area and overnight accommodations for motorhomes is resulting in issues such as illicit parking, which occasionally contravenes existing regulations. It is crucial to underscore that motorhome users necessitate fundamental services, including wastewater disposal points, potable water supplies, and, in certain instances, electrical connections. The absence of these facilities can make their stay challenging and may promote unhygienic or environmentally harmful practices.

The absence of an authorised space is a missed economic opportunity, as motorhome tourism is a burgeoning niche market with substantial economic potential in Alicante, which benefits local commerce and hospitality. Additionally, it would mitigate the indiscriminate parking of motorhomes, thereby enhancing the appearance of our municipality and the quality of life in our community. This would attract a specific type of visitor who is environmentally conscious and has a substantial average daily expenditure, thereby enhancing the municipality’s reputation.

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In Torrevieja, the Mayors’ right-hand man resigns

Torrevieja Town Hall

Víctor Costa Mazón, the Director General of Urban Planning, Projects, Infrastructure, and Basic Services, has bid farewell to the civil servants in his department and declared his intention to resign from his position at Torrevieja City Council. He is anticipated to commence his responsibilities as the Deputy Director of Urban Planning for the city of Murcia at the beginning of May. The technician’s intention to resign from his current position at Torrevieja City Council, which he freely assigns as a position of trust held by Mayor Eduardo Dolón, has been acknowledged by sources from the People’s Party government team. However, this decision has not been “100%” confirmed.

The architect was employed by the mayor at the commencement of his 2019-2023 term as one of the critical positions in the new organisational structure of general directors, which is safeguarded by the “Large Municipalities Law.” Additionally, these directors were mandated to be high-ranking officials. The gross annual remuneration for one of these positions exceeds €100,000.

He has been able to progress with certain pending projects without encountering unfavourable technical reports from department heads, as a result of a customised organisational chart. Additionally, the unique position of “technical civil servant and position of trust” has been assigned responsibility for certain decisions that are more political than technical.

Costa had previously held a variety of roles in the Department of Urban Planning and Municipal Intervention at Torrevieja City Council before assuming the role of general manager. In this capacity, he has been a critical figure for Eduardo Dolón. He has been primarily responsible for the establishment of the framework agreement for the execution of works and projects, which should have expedited many of the contract awards, and for attempting to resolve some of the outstanding issues in the renewal of the City Council’s public service contracts within these years. In order to concentrate on particular management areas, Dolón was obliged to relinquish some of his responsibilities as general manager.

Nevertheless, his administration has been unevenly balanced. The municipal government has eventually completed several of the projects that were repeatedly announced, including the remodelling of the Sports Palace, the new La Mata sports centre, the La Mata pedestrian walkway, La Siesta Park, and certain port area projects. The most significant and expensive initiatives, including the redevelopment of Paseo de la Libertad, are still ongoing.

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After more than four years of processing, the new urban transport service in Torrevieja, which has been operating without a contract and with monthly maintenance reports since 2012, remains pending. The project to renovate the Eras de la Sal and its environs, which are presently in a state of disrepair, is still pending.

Dolón is not in a favourable position as a result of the Director General of Urban Planning’s decision. The Urban Planning position, in contrast to other vacancies that may arise within the general directors’ organisation, cannot remain vacant for an extended period of time due to the pending and stalled projects. These projects include the redevelopment of the Salt Eras and its surroundings, which includes the construction of the Sea and Salt Museum, the rehabilitation of the Ice Factory as a tourist office, and the establishment of a walkway through the old Era Alta.

The project’s budget, which was €8 million when it was first announced in February 2021, has since increased to €31 million (including VAT). The municipality’s primary industrial heritage example, which is safeguarded by the General Urban Development Plan (PGOU), is currently in a state of disrepair. This contributes to its undeniable historical value as an 18th-century architectural heritage, which also originates from the town of Torrevieja. It is imperative that the issue be resolved as soon as possible.

Additionally, the redevelopment of La Libertad Promenade and the access to the new leisure area are still undecided. The contracts for this endeavour only encompass a portion of the work, but not the most critical components. In the interim, in order to facilitate the renovation of the Levante Dike Promenade, other municipal departments were required to intervene in order to unblock the project and withdraw the contract from the framework agreement that Costa had established in order to expedite the process.

At times, Costa’s administration has been characterised by controversy, despite the fact that it is designated by the primary municipal public works and services providers as Eduardo Dolón’s right-hand man and possesses substantial decision-making power.

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For instance, when he included an individual bid evaluation report in the award of the multi-million-dollar rubbish collection contract, the largest in Torrevieja’s history, without the contracting committee’s explicit request and concurrently with the report prepared by the contract’s lead technician. The committee solely requested that he examine certain arithmetic calculations in the main report, in conjunction with three other technicians. Nevertheless, he draughted his own, in which he disqualified the company that had been evaluated first and ultimately secured the contract.

Despite the fact that the contracting committee itself reported this irregularity in writing, he was able to maintain Dolón’s trust. Costa resigned from his position during the awarding of the refuse contract, which was worth €400 million over a 25-year period. However, he promptly reversed his decision and returned to his position one month later.

Some argue that this would not be the first time he has altered his mind, and he may do so again. This is due to the aforementioned background. However, at the moment, there are already polls being conducted to determine who will succeed him at the primary headquarters of City Hall, located in Plaza de la Constitución. Some individuals suggest that authorities are already present in the office.


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