Alex Trelinski
BENIDORM council has approved its largest-ever urban plan which will see up to 20 hotels, over 2,300 homes, and three shopping centres built.
The development will cover over 570,000 m2 in the last significant pocket of undeveloped land in the city under the Ensanche Levante urban plan.
“This is the most important urban sector in the municipality in terms of surface area that was included in the 1990 General Plan,” said Benidorm mayor, Toni Perez.
It is now down to developers to produce plans for the area which has suffered years of degradation in a long wait for a plan to become reality.
No time scales have been given for when construction might begin after contracts have been advertised and awarded.
The area is close to the city’s Levante beach and has abandoned properties that were a frequent target for squatters and criminals.
It took five years of technical work to produce a plan that’s satisfactory to Benidorm council, the Valencian government, and the national government.
Studies confirm that there will be enough water to irrigate the area and to supply domestic and commercial consumers.
65% of the land will be allocated for public facilities and green areas with a large central park of 61,629 m2 and 13,000 m2 of gardens.
Bicycle lanes and pedestrian walkways will also be part of the new development along with lagoons and ponds.
New properties will include 1,564 holiday homes and around 780 residential apartments.
The plan envisages ‘up to 20 new hotels’ and three shopping centres.
Toni Perez, said: “The properties will have a minimum height of 20 floors, so the vertical city model characteristic of Benidorm will be followed, which has made us a benchmark in terms of sustainability.”
