A 12-YEAR dispute over a closed 60-metre-long footpath on the Orihuela Costa has ended.

It means the previously busy Cabo Roig coastal walkway between Aquamarina and La Caleta will reopen in time for the summer.

An independent panel has ruled that Orihuela council will pay Bellavista residents just over €26,000 in compensation to reopen the path.

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In 2023, the property owners claimed €2 million in expropriation fees plus another €1 million for developer Cabo Roig SA over land assigned for a hotel.

Orihuela council offered €70,000 and the matter was sent to the Provincial Expropriation Jury to resolve.

The path was blocked off in December 2021 after a court gave Bellavista residents the right to close it.

It meant pedestrians had to make a two kilometre detour to get to the beach after six years of access.

The dispute had its roots dating back to 1990 when the Bellavista development was approved.

Orihuela council did not expropriate the full length of the path, leaving a 60-metre gap.

Residents built a barrier in 2013 to shut off access, but it was taken down two years later by the authority-using workers with sledgehammers to smash down the wall.

That was then challenged and eventually the council was forced to reinstall the barrier over four years ago.

In 2023, the Costas coastal authority ruled that the path should be reopened, leaving the vexed question of compensation to be resolved, which has now happened.

CONSTRUCTION of new properties in Alicante province have soared to their highest level since the property bubble burst in 2008.

Figures from Alicante’s Official College of Technical Architecture (COATA) have revealed 2,727 new builds in the first quarter of this year.

That’s a 53% increase on the same period last year.

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A quarter-to-quarter comparison showed a 49% rise on the last three months of 2024.

COATA president, Carlos Casas, told the Informacion newspaper: “The start of the year shows a remarkable intensity of activity, with figures that we have not seen since before the 2008 crisis.”

“This is a response to an economic environment that, despite the uncertainties, continues to be conducive to housing development and reflects a significant boost to the sector,” he added.

“Although such marked increases are not expected over the coming quarters, statistics indicate that the market is reacting to demand pressure by increasing the level of activity,” he continued.

Casas did issue a warning says that ‘we must be prudent and not take for granted that this rate of growth will be maintained’.

Inland areas plus Elche and Las Marinas have reached construction levels not seen for 17 years.

The most new builds continue to be recorded in the Vega Baja.

Broken down into municipalities, San Miguel de Salinas had the highest number of properties started this year at 275, followed closely by Mutxamel on 260.

Alicante follows with 258 homes, Villajoyosa on 257, Orihuela with 204, and Denia recording 200.

The average building cost per m2 stood at €559 during the first quarter of 2025, up by 2.9% on the 2024 annual figure.

VILLAJOYOSA has banned smoking on all of its beaches with the city signing up to the Valencian Community’s Smoke-Free Beaches network.

Last month, a ban was announced at Albir beach in l’Alfas del Pi.

Neighbouring Benidorm last summer introduced curbs across large sections of their main Levante and Poniente beaches.

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Villajoyosa’s restrictions will cover 13 beaches and coves with the aim of creating healthy spaces for visitors.

Smoke-free flags will be displayed to warn visitors above the ban.

The council will also launch awareness campaigns about the dangers of smoking.

Health councillor, Maite Sanchez, said “All beach users will be able to enjoy a healthy and sustainable environmentally-friendly tourist area.”

“Not only does tobacco harm the health of bathers, but cigarette butts degrade the state of the sand and waters, in addition to damaging the environment,” Maite added.

A 2018 survey by the European Environment Agency showed that cigarette butts were the biggest source of beach pollution.

Besides the mess, they can kill marine life if swallowed.