Cabo Roig coastal path to reopen to the public this summer
Following a long legal battle, the cliff walk between Aguamarina a La Caleta in Cabo Roig is finally set to reopen
After years of legal wrangling and local frustration, the much-loved coastal path between Aguamarina and La Caleta in Cabo Roig is finally on track to reopen this summer. Orihuela City Council has been given the green light to expropriate the land needed to reinstate public access, with the Provincial Expropriation Jury ruling that just over €26,000 must be paid in compensation.
This short stretch of coastal walkway, known for its stunning cliff-side views, has been closed since December 2021 following a court ruling that declared the land was privately owned and had never been legally expropriated. Since then, residents and visitors have been forced to make a two-kilometre detour to bypass a missing 60-metre section of the promenade.
Initially, the homeowners demanded a staggering €3 million for the 227 square metres in question. After negotiations failed, the case went to the Provincial Jury, which drastically reduced the price to a more modest €26,180, far closer to the City Council’s original appraisal.
Now, with the compensation amount set, the council is requesting funds from the Treasury to finalise the process and begin work on reopening the path. A total of €600,000 has been allocated in the 2024 budget to cover the cost of both the land and the necessary improvements.
The conflict stems from a long-standing dispute over land rights. The Bellavista development, approved before Spain’s Coastal Law came into effect in 1990, built a wall in 2013 that blocked public access to the cliff path. Years of legal battles followed, including a dramatic moment in 2015 when City Hall workers demolished the wall with sledgehammers, only for a court later to rule that the wall had been built legally and must be restored.
Despite rulings in favour of the residential complex, public pressure mounted and, finally, in order to settle the matter and restore public access, the City Council has opted to pay the expropriation cost and move forward.
If all goes according to plan, residents and visitors to Cabo Roig will once again be able to stroll along this scenic stretch of coastline by the summer.
Image: Archive
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