Developers have submitted plans for a new private clinic with operating theatres in La Zenia, marking a major step forward for the long-running El Barranco project. The proposal affects a 33,304-square-metre plot between calles Pimienta and Clavo, close to the Villamartín road and around 500 metres from the AP-7 motorway. A public consultation period is now under way.

The development would include a two-storey clinic building, with most of the 3.3-hectare site given over to green spaces, roads and footpaths. Around 16,000 square metres have been set aside for commercial and healthcare use. Developers Espiral de Inversiones y Patrimonio and Inmuebles del Sol say construction would take about twelve months, with the clinic potentially opening before the end of the year.

The companies are in advanced talks with two healthcare operators to build and manage the centre. They say the facility would serve around 30,000 year-round residents in Orihuela Costa, a figure that rises sharply during the tourist season. At present, the area has only one public health centre, while larger hospitals are located in nearby Torrevieja.

The El Barranco project has taken more than six years to reach this stage. The environmental assessment has been approved, subject to conditions including protecting endangered species, removing invasive plants and creating landscaped green areas with playgrounds and seating.