Spanish 
Dutch 
French 
German 
Norwegian Bokmål 
Polish 
Swedish
The Villamartín road, a vital connection between the Villamartín urbanisation and the N-332 highway near the Zenia Boulevard shopping centre, has been in public use for over 40 years despite being on private land. The road, spanning 11,832 square metres, was instrumental in marketing homes built by Urbanizador Villamartín S.A., the construction company that owns the land.
Legal Dispute and Expropriation
Urbanizador Villamartín S.A. has claimed nearly €3 million from Orihuela’s City Council for interest accrued due to the land’s occupation. After prolonged legal battles, the High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community ruled in July 2021 that the land must be expropriated, with compensation determined by an Expropriation Jury.
The jury initially valued the land at €1.2 million, which the Orihuela Council allocated in September 2022. However, subsequent legal rulings deemed that different valuation criteria should apply, raising the expropriation cost to nearly €1.9 million.
Appeals and Additional Payments
The construction company has appealed decisions to the High Court, while the Council’s legal team argues that the revised valuation remains below the company’s original €2.2 million assessment. The dispute has also sparked political criticism, with opposition figures highlighting the additional €700,000 paid under the current administration.
Broader Implications
The case underscores broader issues related to urban development and land disputes in Orihuela. The company linked to the Villamartín road also holds interests in other municipal properties, including the Palacio Sorzano de Tejada, home to the Pedrera Martínez Foundation Museum in Orihuela centre, which has been the subject of separate legal and negotiation efforts.
Summary
The decades-long conflict over Villamartín road exemplifies the complexities of urban planning and expropriation, involving significant financial claims, legal rulings, and political scrutiny. The resolution of this dispute will impact Orihuela’s public finances and its approach to managing private land used for public purposes in the future.
Spanish Dutch French German Norwegian Bokmål Polish Swedish
