Costa Blanca

Benidorm studies the temperature of its streets to understand “heat island effect”

What is the most scorching location in Benidorm? The inquiry may appear trivial; however, it can assist us in comprehending the city’s response to the “heat island effect.” And that is the objective of the City Council: to ascertain the temperature of various busy or well-known areas of the municipality in order to make future decisions and implement measures to mitigate the impact on residents and travellers.

To this end, the Department of Public Space is conducting a study in collaboration with the University of Valencia to comprehend the impact of this influence. The objective is to determine the areas or locations in the municipality that are impacted by this effect by utilising scientific and research data. This will enable the implementation of decisions and measures to mitigate the effect and enhance the climate comfort of the population.

Additionally, how? Initially, 20 sensors (thermometers) have been deployed in a variety of locations throughout the municipality, including seafront promenades, parks, educational areas, and busy spaces with high volumes of residents and tourists. For more than one month, they have been gathering data. In other words, they collect temperature data at specific locations, resulting in a “mesh” of detailed information, as elucidated by Francis Muñoz, the councillor for the region, and Adrián Ferrandis, a researcher at the University of Valencia.

The data is currently undergoing analysis, following the completion of the initial sampling. Ferrandis clarified that the provisional data obtained indicates that “there are significant differences of between two and three degrees Celsius in several areas,” despite the fact that it is still too early to draw conclusions. This is contingent upon the soil type and the degree of naturalisation in the region. In other words, whether the pavement is less heat-retaining or there are fewer or more trees. This, however, is only the initial phase; a subsequent measurement will be conducted in June.

Adrián Ferrandis further stated that the data collected will be compared “from one measurement to another to obtain a very rough understanding of the situation.” Lastly, the university will compile a report that will be submitted to the City Council, providing guidance on the decisions that should be made.

Benidorm has specific streets or avenues that offer a respite for residents and tourists while they are wandering through the streets in the full sun. This is particularly true if the streets are characterised by tall vegetation that provides shade. This is the case with Avenida del Mediterráneo, which, following a comprehensive renovation, is now adorned with substantial trees in the modernised area. Therefore, the temperature can fluctuate by as much as five degrees during the summer from this bustling street to a mere few metres from the Levante promenade, where the sun is at its most intense.

The City Council intends to verify each of these concerns with dependable data. Muñoz stated that the areas under investigation are meticulously examined; they are not determined arbitrarily or without consideration. The research will enable the formulation of decisions regarding the implementation of “measures such as the renaturalisation of spaces or the implementation of textile architecture,” including shade. The study’s ultimate objective is to “provide the city with an adequate amount of data to establish its priorities in accordance with the information it possesses in order to enhance the comfort of its citizens.”

The activity in this area is a component of Benidorm’s Climate Change Action Plan. The ultimate objective is to “improve and adapt the city to ensure that its spaces are more comfortable for people in terms of temperature.” It is imperative to have the most comprehensive data available to aid the City Council in its subsequent decision-making, the design of the actions to be taken, and the areas in which they will be implemented in order to accomplish this. “It is a scientific method that will ascertain the regions that are affected by the heat island effect, allowing us to reduce it through climate corridors or spaces,” Ferrandis continued.

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Related Topics:Benidorm Council People Public Tourists University Valencia

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Three years in prison for man who abused his adopted daughter

A man has been sentenced to three years in prison by the Provincial Court of Murcia,
and five years of probation who confessed in court that he sexually assaulted his adopted daughter, a minor, on two separate occasions.

taking advantage of his mother’s drowsiness to secure a remedy from a doctor.

It also imposes him as the perpetrator of a continuous crime of sexual aggression by removing the girl 300 metres for a period of eight years. Additionally, it disqualifies him from engaging in any profession that involves contact with minors for the same period. The victim will receive 20,000 euros in compensation, which he had already paid before the trial. This has resulted in the application of the highly qualified mitigating circumstance to repair the damages caused.

The minor was required to endure psychological treatment because of two attacks that occurred in 2019. The first attack occurred at the summer residence outside the Region of Murcia, while the second occurred in the family home in a town within the autonomous region.

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Costa Blanca

Mazón announces the renovation of the Ice Factory and new investments in Torrevieja

The President of the Generalitat (Catalan Government), Carlos Mazón, has reaffirmed the Consell’s dedication to the promotion of tourism and culture in Torrevieja by announcing a global investment of five million euros to restore the historic Eras de la Sal complex. This initiative will transform the local patrimony into a cultural and tourist attraction by preserving and enhancing it.

After signing a statement of intent with the mayor of Torrevieja, Eduardo Dolón, Mazón made this announcement regarding the renovation of the iconic Ice Factory. He emphasised that this agreement is “a definitive step towards the realisation of this initiative, which had been stalled for years.”

In 2025, the Generalitat (Catalan Government) will allocate an initial €100,000 to commence the restoration and expansion of the Ice Factory. As the project segments advance, this investment will increase in subsequent years to reach €2 million between 2026 and 2027.

The president emphasised that this project will convert the Ice Factory into a symbolic space that is prepared to host exhibitions, events, and provide visitors with new experiences. The Ice Factory will be equipped with a tourism office of the future. “We are making tangible progress on a project as significant as the Salt Eras,” he observed.

Mazón also mentioned the recent publication of the public exhibition notice for the administrative concession in the Official Gazette of the Generalitat (Catalan Government), which will facilitate the establishment of the Museum of the Sea and the Eras de la Sal site. He lamented the previous regional government’s lack of support for this initiative, stating, “We committed to unblocking this process in the first quarter, and we have done so.”

In addition, the Council will provide three million euros to the Eras de la Sal complex, of which 200,000 have already been allocated, as a complement to this initiative, which is regarded as strategic for the city.

Infrastructure and education investments

The head of the Consell also announced significant investments in Torrevieja’s educational and transportation infrastructure during his visit, following what he described as “eight years of neglect and historical shortcomings by the previous government.”

Mazón confirmed the construction of schools 14 and 15, the new secondary school number 6, which is presently in prefabricated classrooms, and the comprehensive renovation of the La Laguna secondary school, with a total investment of €19.3 million. He also emphasised the completion of the work on La Inmaculada and Amanecer secondary schools, which had been significantly delayed.

The president announced the procurement for the widening of the CV-95 between Orihuela and Torrevieja before the end of the term in the field of road infrastructure. The project is expected to require a €180 million investment through a public-private partnership. He emphasised that the widening will be free for users, emphasising that it is fulfilling another essential commitment for economic activity, tourist mobility, and the daily lives of citizens.

Mazón also emphasised the project to renovate the port area of Torrevieja, which will involve an investment of 100 million euros to construct a leisure centre, a new parking lot, and restore the Muelle Mínguez, among other projects.

Project for the Ice Factory

The new Museum of the Sea and Salt, the Habaneras Festival auditorium in the former Marina Internacional dry dock, the redevelopment of the surrounding area, and the restoration of the Ice Factory are all components of the comprehensive Eras de la Sal project.

The project entails the incorporation of a new four-story building on the adjacent 303 m² site and the restoration of the original building, which was constructed between the 1920s and 1930s on a 299 m² site. The current heights of the two structures will be maintained as they are connected.

The complex will be equipped with modern and versatile functionality, as the annexe building will house meeting rooms, a documentation centre, and customer service areas, while the Ice Factory will feature an atrium, a Tourist Information office, and offices.

The Generalitat (Government of Catalonia) and Torrevieja City Council are advancing the recovery and revitalisation of local heritage through this investment, thereby fostering a model that integrates economic development, tourism, and culture.

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Two motorcyclists with multiple injuries after accidents in Cox and Orihuela

Two separate motorbike accidents happened in the Vega Baja on Saturday, April 26th separated by two hours.

The initial incident took place at kilometre 11 of Orihuela on the CV-925 road, where a 35-year-old male was treated for multiple injuries, including ankle and tibia fractures, necessitating immediate medical attention. A Basic Life Support (BLS) unit and a Mobile Emergency Care System (SAMU) unit were dispatched to the scene, and he was subsequently transferred to the Vega Baja Hospital. The incident’s causes remain undisclosed.

The emergency services were notified of the second accident in Cox, which took place on Calle Gabriel Miró, shortly before 8:10 p.m. Multiple injuries were sustained by a 55-year-old male who was transported to Elche General Hospital after he fell from his motorbike.