- Los Huertos Residents Mobilize: New Association Formed to Fight Expropriations
The residents of Los Huertos have escalated their battle against Orihuela City Council’s controversial Sports City project by officially forming the Los Huertos Neighbourhood Association. This strategic move strengthens their legal and organizational ability to defend their homes against planned expropriations that threaten to erase a historic community.
Until now, the residents operated informally as a grassroots platform. Faced with the looming legal challenges, they have taken decisive action to formalize their group, gaining greater legitimacy under Spain’s Contentious-Administrative Jurisdiction Law (Law 29/1998). The newly established association will enable them to file administrative appeals, access specialized legal advice, secure additional funding, and present a unified voice in negotiations with local authorities.
The residents accuse the City Council of undermining their property rights and way of life. “This project endangers not just our homes, but the very fabric of a neighbourhood that has been part of Orihuela’s history for generations,” said a spokesperson. “Becoming an association gives us the strength we need to defend ourselves.”
The Neighbourhood Association also denounced the so-called “alternatives” offered by the Council, describing them as a “false choice” between inadequate compensation, precarious relocation without property guarantees, or enduring unliveable conditions amid construction chaos and disrupted services.
Determined to resist what they see as an unjust and aggressive urban development plan, the residents are rallying for broader support. They are calling on Orihuela’s citizens, associations, and civic groups to stand in solidarity with their cause:
“Together we are stronger, and together we will defend Los Huertos.”
