Summary
- Residents of the Los Huertos neighborhood are opposing the expropriation of their homes for a proposed sports complex in Orihuela.
- The local government faces backlash from multiple social platforms, highlighting a lack of communication and openness.
- Residents report feeling vulnerable and unrepresented, as they learned about the proposals through the press, not from their local officials.
- The Urban Growth office offers three options for affected homeowners: relocation, financial compensation, or the opportunity to remain.
- Community members threaten further action,including legal appeals,if their concerns remain unaddressed.
Residents Protest Expropriation Plans for New sports Facility in Orihuela
The ongoing dispute between residents of the Los Huertos neighborhood in Orihuela and the local government has escalated as community members voice their objections to the proposed expropriation of their homes for a new sports complex. Frustration with the lack of communication and transparency from the City Council has fueled this grassroots movement, prompting multiple platforms to spring up in protest.
Community Outrage
In recent months, three distinct groups have emerged, reflecting mounting discontent towards the actions of the PP-Vox coalition governing Orihuela. These include:
- Platform of Affected Individuals: Advocating against the removal of the secondary education programs at the IES Palmeral.
- Citizens’ Coordinator Miguel Hernández: focusing on broader community concerns.
- los Huertos Neighborhood Platform: Mobilizing residents directly impacted by the proposed sports facilities.
Residents expressed their alarm upon discovering, through a local newspaper in October, that over 26 families would perhaps lose their homes without any prior notification from the municipality. A resident remarked, “We heard about plans that would radically alter our lives through the press, not from our elected officials.”
Lack of Clear Communication
Residents have sought answers from the Urban Planning division as November but reported receiving vague and unsettling responses. A January meeting with key officials left many feeling abandoned. Urban Planning head Matías Ruiz and Sports Councilor Víctor Sigüenza held a gathering for more than 50 affected parties, but many left “with a profound sense of helplessness,” contesting the rationale behind removing homes to create purported green spaces, which they argue are strategically located next to new roads intended for commercial use.
Public Resistance
As the situation intensified, walls and facades around the Los Huertos area were plastered with protest banners. Messages such as “If you take our homes,you will destroy our lives” and “Los Huertos is not your investment” became visible to all passersby.
Proposed Solutions from the City Council
In light of the citizen mobilization, the Socialist and Cambiemos Orihuela groups have urged the council to initiate an informational commitee to clarify the situation regarding the Sports Complex project and related urban planning documents. The mayor’s office has proposed three alternatives for homeowners:
- Relocation: Residents can move into a new set of 29 homes slated to be constructed by the Municipal Housing and Land Company.
- Financial Compensation: Homeowners may opt for monetary compensation,subject to valuation and mutual agreement.
- Permanent Residency: Homeowners can choose to remain, provided their properties can be adjusted in line with the new development plans.
Ongoing legal and Community Actions
Despite these proposals,residents have voiced skepticism regarding the sincerity of the council’s intentions. One resident stated, “They are trying to whitewash the project and pretending to give us choices when we already know they have submitted reports to the Generalitat Valenciana to justify the expropriation.”
As residents continue to calculate potential compensation, they have indicated that if their requests for transparent data are ignored, they may escalate their actions, potentially leading to legal disputes to secure their rights.
Looking Ahead
With more than a year before the project is expected to advance,Urban Planning officials assure that they are attuned to the unease among residents and will strive to minimize disruption throughout the process. However, as tensions rise, community activists remain steadfast in their commitment to fight for their homes and rights.