Seven companies have submitted bids to purchase three municipal plots in Orihuela Costa, in an auction the council hopes will generate at least 21.6 million euros. The land could accommodate 255 homes across more than 30,000 square metres, and the sale will go to the highest bidder through an open procedure.

The plots include land at La Ciñuelica, La Cuerda and Peña del Águila, with starting prices ranging from just over 4.1 million euros to 11.3 million euros. The councillor for Heritage, Matías Ruiz, has said the auction comes at a particularly favourable time for the property market and aims to convert public land into infrastructure and services for residents.

However, previous attempts to sell municipal land have fallen short. In 2020, the council expected to raise 21 million euros from three coastal plots but secured only 683,650 euros after reducing the asking price, with two of the sites attracting no bids.

Despite the current optimism, council intervention officials have previously warned that income forecasts were based on unrealistic assumptions, particularly around construction tax revenues. Significant investment funds approved in recent budgets for Orihuela Costa also remain largely unspent, raising questions about how quickly any new income could be put to use.