Torrevieja City Council has taken a major step towards creating the future Alto de la Casilla Urban Park, a landmark green space designed to improve the city’s environmental quality, public facilities and urban landscape.
The council has proposed awarding the construction contract to the joint venture formed by ABALA Infraestructuras S.L. and ORTHEM Servicios y Actuaciones Ambientales S.A.U., for a total proposed amount of €10,370,583, including VAT. The project received the highest technical score in the tender process, standing out for its detailed planning, sustainability measures and clear commitment to reducing the carbon footprint during construction.
The Contracting Committee reviewed the bids on Monday, 11 May, as part of an open public procurement process. A total of 13 major companies and joint ventures from the public works and construction sector took part, including Acciona Construcción, Dragados, Eiffage Infraestructuras, OHL, Vías y Construcciones, CHM Obras e Infraestructuras, ACSA and others.
According to the municipal technical report, the ABALA-ORTHEM proposal was considered the most complete and best adapted to the project. It was praised for its comprehensive understanding of the works, strong construction planning, advanced waste management and environmental measures aimed at limiting disruption to traffic and the surrounding urban area.
A key feature of the proposal is its focus on sustainability. The winning bid includes measures to reduce emissions through optimised transport, energy-efficient machinery, careful material storage planning and the selection of materials with Environmental Product Declarations. The proposal achieved 37.60 points out of 40 in the technical assessment, ahead of several leading national construction firms.
The bid also includes improvements such as additional shaded areas with organically shaped pergolas, universal children’s play equipment and the maximum extension of the works guarantee period.
The future Alto de la Casilla Urban Park will become one of Torrevieja’s most important green infrastructure and urban regeneration projects. It will transform the area into a major public park for residents and visitors, designed around sustainability, accessibility, landscape integration and environmental improvement.
The park will feature two main entrances and a central pathway connecting the different areas. Shaded walking routes, a wooded picnic area, two large children’s play zones, a panoramic viewpoint and an integrated café will make it a year-round space for leisure, walking and relaxation. The café will have capacity for almost 170 people and will include toilet facilities serving both the establishment and the wider park.
The project also includes a car park with 89 spaces and a dedicated bicycle parking area, encouraging more sustainable mobility.
Planting will be central to the park’s identity. A total of 537 trees will be planted, including Aleppo pines, cypresses, araucarias and jacarandas. These will be accompanied by more than 12,000 shrubs, including hibiscus and pittosporum, as well as 1,540 aromatic plants such as lavender, rosemary and thyme. Together, the planting areas will cover more than 10,000 square metres, with a further 5,000 square metres of lawn, creating a diverse, low-water-use and climate-adapted green space.
The park will also offer a major family leisure area, with 37 children’s play features divided into two themed zones. The first, Laguna Rosa, is inspired by Torrevieja’s salt lakes and natural landscape, with play structures such as salt towers, mining wagons and hexagonal slides representing salt molecules. This area will include 22 different play elements and capacity for up to 230 children.
The second area, Mundo Náutico, celebrates Torrevieja’s maritime identity. It will include standout features such as the Torrevieja Boat, a Shark and a Lighthouse structure rising more than 13.65 metres high, designed to become one of the park’s main visual landmarks. This area will accommodate up to 164 children.
Designed as an open, safe and accessible public space, the park will combine play, nature, shade, walking areas and panoramic views. From the viewpoint and other areas, visitors will be able to enjoy views of the Torrevieja Salt Lagoon, La Mata Salt Lagoon and the Mediterranean Sea, strengthening the connection between the city, the landscape and the natural environment.
