Quick Facts
Presents good investment opportunities in land, no longer needed for citrus growing.
This lush countryside – dubbed Orange Blossom County by developers - could be the next new area for residential tourism as the traditional citrus growers find times are getting harder with the reduction in EU farming subsidies and consequently developers are able to buy their land for much less than the prime coastal strip. It straddles the slow moving Rio Segura that crosses the plain to flow into the sea at Guardamar del Segura. In the north, the Vega Baja reaches to Europe’s biggest palm forest at Elche and to the historic city of Orihuela in the south. There are many amenity-filled villages and towns like Daya Nueva, Daya Vieja, Almoradi, Dolores and Crevillente, whose mayors are keen to avoid the depopulation that follows job losses in agriculture or other traditional industries.
The two new motorways that cross the area are helping its regeneration, as do the airports at Murcia and Alicante that are now only 35 minutes away and the Blue Flag beaches and big towns 15 minutes or less. There is a new strategic opportunity in attracting residential tourism to relief the pressure on the beachfronts and town hall planners are determined to make the most of it.
While orange groves cover many hectares, there are many other attractions for tourists and families living in the area fulltime. Places like Orihuela, Jacarilla or Elche combine their history with modern-day amenities including some quality eating places, parks and sporting facilities. The Vega Baja, while generally flat and good for walking or cycling, has hills, natural lagoons and nature parks such as World Heritage Elche with its 100,000 palms forest and Renaissance public buildings.
Algorfa is set to be one of the main development nodes in this lush, fertile countryside as La Finca, a 54-hole golf complex with 1,000s of golfside homes takes shape. The village population of 1,000 is set to treble as developers are replaced by new international residents seeking excellent golf and a genuine Spanish rural lifestyle. Another development focus is Catral, where local planners have zoned one side of the town take the route and stopping point for the high speed train heading to Madrid.
Almoradi, with its picture postcard main plaza and famous Saturday market, is also growing fast, thanks to its prime location next to the motorway. As Elche produces half of Spain’s footwear, so this gem of a town specialises in furniture – and being the base for quite a few property magnates!
Newbuild homes in the Vega Baja tend to be traditional style courtyard apartment developments with a communal pool in the centre and carparking below, but local builders provide spacious “infill” townhouses and, to suit the Brit market include a communal pool behind and barbeque area at the front. Prices are 20% less than in the beachside communities just 15 minutes away.
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