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Even though Orihuela City Council officially took ownership of the Bellavista stretch of the Orihuela Costa cliff walk a couple of weeks ago, it still seemed like this hugely popular pedestrian path would never be opened. Well, it’s finally happened! On Tuesday August 19, council workers arrived with their tools and stripped down the wall and gates.

 

Plenty of excited residents turned out to witness what will undoubtedly become an iconic moment for both locals and visitors.

 

At around 6.30pm, the wall and gates that had stopped pedestrians from using a sixty-metre stretch of the coastal promenade since 2021 were removed. The blocked area was small, just 140 square metres, but it had caused a big inconvenience, cutting off pedestrian access between Cabo Roig Aguamarina and La Caleta and forcing a detour of more than fifteen minutes.

 

The reopening follows a long process that began with the forced expropriation of the land in 2021. Work started on the side nearest La Caleta beach, taking down the grill door, before moving on to remove the wall and fence at the other end.

 

Mayor Pepe Vegara was there to see it happen, along with Manuel Mestre, spokesperson for Vox and councillor of Orihuela Costa, the head of the City Council’s legal services and reinforcements from the Local Police and the Guardia Civil.

 

“It has taken us two years to put some things in order and now it is bearing fruit in Orihuela Costa,” said Mayor Vegara.

 

“Today a long and complex procedure is completed, which has been followed with all legal guarantees, and which allows Orihuela Costa to recover one of its most emblematic spaces.”

 

Earlier attempts had hit legal snags, but the City Council managed to get judicial approval in record time from the Contentious Court Number 1 of Elche to take possession of the land.

 

The cost was just €26,000, far less than the million euros claimed by the property owners. Signs at both ends of the path now show the Orihuela shield and note that this section was subject to a forced expropriation.

 

About fifteen residents gathered for the opening. When the workers cleared the path, applause broke out and everyone enjoyed walking through to the calisthenics park for the first time in years.

 

For locals, this is the result of nearly twenty years of requests. Tomás Moreno, president of Unidos por La Costa, said it marks the end of a very long neighbourhood demand.

 

The dispute goes back to 2015. The wall had no municipal license, but a court later sided with the owners and the path was closed again.

 

Daily walkers were thrilled to finally cross freely, chatting and laughing as they enjoyed the path after such a long wait.

 

 

Images: Unidos por La Costa