Santa Pola’s Pola Park amusement park is set to remain in the town for another 40 years under a proposed concession requiring extensive modernisation, greener surroundings and major improvements to its parking areas.
Santa Pola City Council is finalising the new contract after the previous 25-year concession expired in 2021. Pola Park SL, which has operated the attraction on municipal land for decades, was the only company to submit a bid before the July 30 deadline.
The agreement would secure the long-term future of one of the town’s leading private leisure attractions while delivering what is expected to be the largest transformation in the park’s history.
The redevelopment covers the existing 19,525-square-metre site and includes new or upgraded attractions, resurfacing and the modernisation of facilities to meet current standards. Safety, ventilation and air-conditioning systems will also be improved.
The park must become more energy-efficient, with alternative energy systems introduced where environmentally appropriate. The project is expected to improve the site’s energy rating by at least two levels and reduce non-renewable primary energy consumption by more than 30%.
Accessibility will also be enhanced, with routes and facilities adapted for visitors with disabilities. More trees, shaded waiting areas and rest spaces will be created throughout the park.
To reduce its impact on the nearby Salinas de Santa Pola Natural Park, the operator will be required to install a vegetation barrier along the northern boundary. The barrier must use native or compatible plants capable of tolerating saline soil while requiring relatively little water.
Measures will also be introduced to limit noise and light pollution, making the attraction less visible and intrusive from the protected natural area.
One of the biggest changes will take place outside the existing park boundaries, where more than 22,200 square metres of largely undeveloped land currently used for informal parking will be reorganised and landscaped.
A 10,224-square-metre area will be reserved for amusement park visitors. A further 5,487 square metres will become a paid public car park, while another 6,523 square metres will provide free public parking.
Vehicles will be concentrated mainly around the perimeter, freeing central areas for pedestrian paths, gardens and seating. Trees suited to the salt-marsh environment will be planted between parking spaces to provide shade for vehicles and pedestrians.
Plans also include permeable paving, accessible pathways, street furniture and sustainable drainage systems. Rainwater will be collected and reused to irrigate the new vegetation, helping to prevent puddles and reduce water consumption.
Other improvements include replacing existing streetlights with energy-efficient technology and constructing an emergency medical facility within the amusement park.
The contract has an estimated value of €1.2 million, based on the minimum financial obligations over its maximum 40-year duration. The operator will pay Santa Pola City Council an annual fee of €15,000, plus another €15,000 each year towards the development of the planned green areas.
These payments do not include the cost of construction, improvements or future maintenance, all of which will be covered by the concessionaire.
The new agreement will bring an end to several years of temporary arrangements and administrative delays. The council granted an extraordinary 18-month extension in May while the concession process continued.
Once the contract is formally awarded, the operator will have three months to submit a detailed implementation plan incorporating all the council’s requirements and setting out the final construction timetable.
