Residents and business owners in Dolores have united in opposition to the location chosen for the town’s new fixed ecopark. The facility is being built on a 3,500‑square‑metre plot on Calle Escritor José Pastor, directly opposite occupied homes. Neighbours say they are not against recycling infrastructure but argue the site is inappropriate, pointing to official guidance that classifies such facilities as potentially contaminating when placed within 500 metres of residential areas.

They also warn that the area is at risk of flooding, recalling the severe damage caused by the 2019 DANA. In addition, local businesses say the decision has already caused economic harm, with planned investments halted. Tensions recently surfaced when a group of residents interrupted a council meeting to demand explanations, claiming a lack of transparency and delays in accessing project documents.

The council maintains that it has shared all available information and says the handover of technical documents depends on authorisation from the town hall’s secretary. It emphasises that the project meets legal obligations on waste management and will allow residents of Dolores and Catral to recycle up to 40 types of household waste. The facility will be fully digitalised, enabling future incentives for regular users.

With a budget of 520,000 euros and a four‑month construction period, the ecopark is one of the largest planned in the Vega Baja. Despite the criticism, the council says it will not reconsider the chosen site, arguing the infrastructure will bring long‑term environmental benefits to the municipality.