San Javier’s town council has begun work on plans to transform the Rambla de Cobatillas into a floodable park designed to reduce the risk of flooding during heavy rain. The project, which has been put out to tender, has a maximum budget of €2.3 million including VAT and aims to combine flood protection with the creation of a new green public space.

The scheme will allow rainwater to spread and be stored safely within a controlled area, protecting nearby streets and buildings. Existing degraded surfaces will be removed, restoring the land’s natural permeability and reshaping the site into a retention basin to hold excess runoff. Slopes will be reinforced to prevent erosion and slow the flow of water.

A key feature of the park will be a permanent artificial lagoon of around 250 square metres, designed as a small urban wetland with aquatic plants and solar-powered systems to maintain water quality. Accessible paths, leisure facilities and native planting will be integrated into the design, helping to filter polluted runoff and protect the nearby Mar Menor. The project is supported by Spain’s Biodiversity Foundation as part of wider environmental restoration efforts in the area.