Residents in Orihuela Costa are voicing growing frustration after Orihuela City Council approved a further €440,000 in grants to restore facades and party walls in the historic centre.
The funding package, approved by the Local Governing Board, will subsidise repairs to buildings over 40 years old that are listed or protected under current planning rules. Grants can cover up to 80% of facade renovation costs — up to €40,000 per facade or €60,000 if more than one is restored. Party walls visible from the street can receive 50% of costs, up to €25,000 combined. In some cases, ornamental lighting in protected buildings can be funded at 100%.
Urban Planning Councillor Matías Ruiz defended the scheme as part of a long-standing commitment to preserve and enhance the city’s historic centre, ensuring buildings remain safe, structurally sound and visually attractive.
However, on the coast, where infrastructure complaints are frequent, some residents question the priority being given to restoring ageing town-centre properties — including what critics describe as long-neglected or semi-derelict buildings — while they say investment is still needed in roads, public services and amenities in coastal urbanisations.
The grants will apply to works carried out between November 15, 2025, and September 30, 2026, and applications must be submitted within ten working days of publication in the Official Gazette of the Province.
The decision is likely to deepen the ongoing debate over how municipal funds are divided between the historic inland city and the rapidly growing coastal districts.
