The 581 registered residents of El Mojón—a populated area covering 57.09 hectares with 1,473 homes and 19 commercial establishments located within the municipality of Pilar de la Horadada—will benefit from a recent decision regarding mail delivery The National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) has ruled that ordinary mail deliveries in El Mojón a locality spanning the municipalities of San Pedro del Pinatar (Murcia) and Pilar de la Horadada (Alicante) must be made directly to home or business mailboxes The CNMC has ordered the national postal service to begin implementing home delivery within 15 days This decision comes after years of petitions from neighbourhood associations and the local governments involved who urged the CNMC to recognize El Mojón as eligible for residential mail delivery Their argument emphasized that El Mojón is equipped with a full range of public infrastructure—such as urban parks and administrative facilities—distributed throughout the area These features give the locality the characteristics of a unified urban centre rather than a collection of separate housing developments El Mojón is officially designated a “High Tourist Traffic Zone” year-round and it is physically connected to the neighbouring towns of Torre de la Horadada and Mil Palmeras highlighted the absurdity of the previous situation: on Calle Alhelí which separates El Mojón from Torre de la Horadada residents on the odd-numbered side of the street were not receiving mail at home while those on the even-numbered side—just across the street—were The CNMC’s resolution is similar to a previous ruling regarding the delivery of ordinary mail to areas including Dehesa de Campoamor all part of Orihuela Costa in the municipality of Orihuela as residents of Mil Palmeras and Torre de la Horadada were already receiving home mail delivery Log in to leave a comment © 2021 The Leader Digital Mission Statement: to assist the integration of foreign residents living in Spain and this is never more accurate than when you establish yourself as a foreign resident in a new country Being able to quickly familiarise yourself with the culture and customs can help ease the transition during a challenging time This is why Euro Weekly News makes it our mission to provide you with a free news resource in English that covers both regional and national Spanish news – anything that we feel you will benefit from knowing as you integrate into your new community and live your best life in Spain you can forget about translating articles from Spanish into awkward English that probably don’t make much sense Let us be your convenient and essential guide to all things that will likely affect you as a foreign resident living in Spain The Pilar de la Horadada Council has given provisional approval for an environmental assessment The assessment is to reclassify 292,881 square metres of rural land in the Lo Monte Playa sector, intended for the construction of 1,086 tourist homes This proposal now awaits final validation from the Generalitat The new development would accommodate around 2,700 new residents in a town that currently has a population of just over 22,000 The land in question is situated between the N-332 highway Avenida Federico García Lorca in Mil Palmeras has justified the reclassification by noting that the land has remained unused for agricultural purposes for the past 30 years describing it as a “wasteland” without any agricultural or environmental value worth preserving They argue that the area is “degraded” and should be “filled in” since it is surrounded by established urbanisations The company emphasises the commercial potential of the land, primarily for the sale of homes due to its proximity to the sea, which will be marketed for its environmental and scenic appeal Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox Euro Weekly News is the leading English language newspaper in Spain by delivering news with a social conscience we are proud to be the voice for the expat communities who now call Spain home With around half a million print readers a week and over 1.5 million web views per month EWN has the biggest readership of any English language newspaper in Spain The paper prints over 150 news stories a week with many hundreds more on the web – no one else even comes close Our publication has won numerous awards over the last 25 years including Best Free Newspaper of the Year (Premios AEEPP) Company of the Year (Costa del Sol Business Awards) and Collaboration with Foreigners honours (Mijas Town Hall) All of this comes at ZERO cost to our readers All our print and online content always has been and always will be FREE OF CHARGE Download our media pack in either English or Spanish Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin and get an email with all the week’s news straight to your inbox (List price   3  months 12 Bulletins)  and thank you for choosing CamposolToday.com to publicise your organisation’s info or event Camposol Today is a website set up by Murcia Today specifically for residents of the urbanisation in Southwest Murcia providing news and information on what’s happening in the local area which is the largest English-speaking expat area in the Region of Murcia When submitting text to be included on Camposol Today please abide by the following guidelines so we can upload your article as swiftly as possible: Send an email to editor@camposoltoday.com or contact@murciatoday.com Attach the information in a Word Document or Google Doc Also attach a photo to illustrate your article The Grand Parade of Comparsas (Carnival Groups) will be held on Sunday Pilar de la Horadada is preparing to experience one of the most fun events of the year with the celebration of its Carnival residents and visitors will be able to enjoy a series of activities full of colour music and fun planned for the enjoyment of all ages The day will start at 11.30am in the Plaza de la Iglesia with children’s entertainment entitled “Carnaval te quiero” (I love Carnival) face painting and activities for the little ones children will enjoy the performance of RB Academy Infantil with their show “Show Carnaval” the chirigota “Los Sangochaos” will take the stage with a performance full of humour and music where awards will be given to the best costumes of the day The Grand Parade of Comparsas (Carnival Groups) visit the official Tourism Office website: visitpilardelahoradada.com The weekend is expected to be windy and rainy with highs around 14-15°C and lows of 10-11°C Attendees are advised to dress accordingly The Pilar de la Horadada Council has announced the tendering of two projects to enhance the municipality’s sports facilities These projects include renovating the central football field’s artificial turf and constructing three new paddle tennis courts at the municipal sports centre The first project involves a complete overhaul of the central football pitch’s artificial turf with a budget of 274,859.67 euros (VAT included) and a completion period of three months surrounded by an athletics track and used for competitions was built in 2009 and is no longer in optimal condition The renovation will install state-of-the-art artificial grass will construct three paddle tennis courts in response to the sport’s growing popularity among residents the sports centre has three paddle tennis courts the council will convert one of the eight tennis courts and three one-on-one paddle tennis courts into three standard two-on-two paddle tennis courts Both projects aim to modernize and expand the sports offerings in Pilar de la Horadada with the paddle tennis courts and football pitch renovations expected to be completed within three months Pilar de la Horadada has provisionally approved the environmental evaluation for the reclassification of 292.881 square meters of rustic land destined for the construction of 1,086 tourist homes in the Lo Monte Playa sector The proposal has gone ahead with the favourable votes of the government with an absolute majority of the Partido Popular The procedure must now be validated by the Generalitat The urbanisation will have a capacity to accommodate 2,700 new inhabitants in a municipality that has a population of just over 22,000 The plots are located between Avenida Federico García Lorca in Mil Palmeras Camping Lo Monte and Avenida Levante to the south justifies the reclassification by stating that it is wasteland and “has not been used for any agricultural activity in the last 30 years The developer also considers that it is necessary to “fill the area” because it already sits among other consolidated urbanisations The developer also states that there is no risk of flooding despite the fact that the Generalitat Flood Plan (Patricova) considers that there is a structural risk due to a rambla that crosses the sector the Segura Hydrographic Confederation and the Generalitat have both validated the builder’s report although according to allegations of Friends of Sierra Escalona there are several constructions in slope to channel runoff water The investment in the development to be carried out by Santamar which has 98% of the ownership of the land The disbursement per year for the municipal accounts while the income for the Council from IBI is estimated at around 578,000 euros per year in addition to the construction tax and initial licensing fees The proposed land reclassification was initiated by Santamar in mid-2015 This Orihuela firm also has a partial plan in San Miguel de Salinas for 2,000 homes together with other projects in Orihuela and Torrevieja to develop commercial areas in addition to promoting the skyscrapers of Los Náufragos A Feast for the Senses: Pilar de la Horadada’s First Gastronomic Days Pilar de la Horadada’s inaugural Gastronomic Days The Plaza de la Iglesia transformed into a vibrant outdoor kitchen attracting hundreds of locals and visitors who indulged in delicious food The event kicked off on the first day with a presentation and tasting by the local cooperative SURINVER showcasing their peppers and other fresh produce The LA GRANJA restaurant followed with a captivating showcooking demonstration featuring a unique Savory twist on the traditional sweet fried flowers The day concluded with a lively performance by the local group INERCIA children had the opportunity to participate in a hands-on workshop hosted by PANADERÍA JOSE ANTONIO where they created delicious biscuits topped with melted chocolate featuring the Pilar de la Horadada coat of arms The culinary journey continued with a tasting of salted fish from the firm “CUNA DEL SALAZÓN.” BOCARRIBA COCINA then wowed the crowd with a creative salted and cured sea bass loin dish that combined various textures and flavours The event concluded with a flamenco-pop performance by Andrés Ballester expressed her satisfaction with the event’s success and expressed hope for even more content in future editions She also thanked the sponsors CELUCOSTA and JOSÉ DIAZ for their support in making the event a reality March 18th in Torrevieja will begin with overcast skies accompanied by heavy rain during the early hours The minimum temperature is expected to be around 13 degrees The wind chill will remain within this range due to the high relative humidity and the probability of precipitation remains high leaving a mostly cloudy sky with no chance of rain weather conditions will show a slight improvement Although the sky will be partly cloudy throughout the day Temperatures will range between 11 and 18 degrees and relative humidity will decrease slightly March 20th will bring high cloudy skies in the morning and some cloudy periods in the afternoon cloudy periods are expected with an 80% chance of rain while temperatures will range between 14 and 20 degrees the chance of precipitation will decrease to 25% a return to more unstable conditions is expected Temperatures will range between 10 and 17 degrees Celsius Relative humidity will remain high throughout the week The area will experience a day with temperatures ranging from 10ºC to 19ºC Temperatures will remain comfortable at around 16ºC with temperatures dropping to 14ºC and a 10% chance of rain Similar weather conditions are expected on January 31 Temperatures will range between 9ºC and 17ºC Torrevieja will see persistent cloudy intervals and a slight chance of rain on February 1 Relative humidity will fluctuate between 40% and 75% light rain is possible under very cloudy skies Torrevieja will experience variable weather in the coming days Residents and visitors are advised to stay updated on weather forecasts to plan their outdoor activities accordingly Pilar de la Horadada is increasing its garbage tax to comply with new state and European regulations The annual tax will rise from 132 euros to 152.97 euros on the coast and 147.13 euros in the urban centre This adjustment meets the requirements of Law 7/2022 which mandates that the tax covers the full cost of waste collection encouraging a “pay-as-you-generate” system to promote recycling The new rates will take effect on 1 January with collections now in two half-yearly payments instead of quarterly considering factors like cadastral value and constructed surface The study bizarrely finds that coastal properties often second homes which are only occupied for part of the year The coastline areas like Mil Palmeras and El Mojón are popular summer destinations while inland areas like Lo Romero attract foreign residents was postponed due to the weather conditions Pilar de la Horadada Town Council has announced the new date for the celebration of the long-awaited Grand Carnival Parade which had to be postponed due to weather conditions on 2 March one of the most important and colourful events of the Carnival from Calle Torrevieja to Plaza de la Iglesia The comparsas will once again fill the streets with music in an event that will be enjoyed by thousands of people The weather will see notable variations throughout the day Temperatures will range from a minimum of 10°C to a maximum of 16°C starting with partly cloudy skies in the morning and clearing up by nightfall Early Morning Conditions (Midnight to 6 AM) The perceived temperature will be slightly lower than the actual while relative humidity will fluctuate between 40% and 80% raising the likelihood of light rain to 25% returning to partly cloudy conditions with no further precipitation expected Temperatures will gradually drop to the day’s minimum The start of February will bring varied weather patterns followed by a chance of light rain in the afternoon Temperatures will remain between 8°C and 16°C with humidity fluctuating between 40% and 90% cloudy intervals will dominate the day with a low chance of rain transitioning to clearer conditions toward the end of the period Legendary Spanish football personality Vicente Del Bosque González was welcomed by over 500 young footballers in Pilar de la Horadada last week as he unveiled a plaque naming the municipal football field in his honour Described by Mayor José María Pérez Sánchez as “an example of success and hard work,” Del Bosque’s legacy was celebrated for his achievements with Real Madrid Pérez Sánchez highlighted Del Bosque’s exceptional human qualities and his positive influence on the sport Young players from the Municipal Football School Councillor for Sports José Antonio Martínez reflected on the national pride Del Bosque inspired as he recalled Spain’s triumphant 2010 World Cup victory and the unforgettable celebrations that followed He expressed his honour at hosting the man who brought immense joy to Pilar de la Horadada and to the entire nation The event was attended by local dignitaries including Vice President of the Provincial Council of Alicante Marina Sáez and representatives from the AVATEL Group A special tribute was also given to Paco Jiménez for his contributions to Spain’s 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championship wins Vicente Del Bosque has had a distinguished career in football as a player He played 339 official matches with Real Madrid and earned 18 international caps participating in the 1980 European Championship including two UEFA Champions League trophies and led Spain to its first-ever World Cup and a European Championship Del Bosque was awarded the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit cementing his place as one of Spain’s most celebrated sports figures The Pilar de la Horadada Tourist Train was unveiled last week which will operate for 6 days a week until 18 August where you can travel from the coast to the centre and from the centre to the coast which are all identified with a ‘Tourist Train’ sign There are two different routes: from Tuesday to Thursday and from Friday to Sunday Constitución (Rambla in front of Colegio Virgen del Pilar) you can also listen to an audio guide that will explain the history and curiosities of the areas that you pass through  Further information is available on the town website at: www.visitpilardelahoradada.com On Wednesday the region will experience predominantly stable weather with high clouds for most of the day Temperatures will range between 10ºC and 20ºC with a wind chill varying in the same range Relative humidity will remain between 45% and 90% ensuring a humid but comfortable environment the sky is expected to be cloudy with no chance of rain The minimum temperature recorded will be approximately 10ºC The wind chill will remain close to these figures with high clouds predominating in the sky and temperatures reaching a maximum of 18ºC which could make the environment drier compared to the previous hours temperatures will remain stable at around 17ºC The sky will continue to show high clouds with no signs of precipitation maintaining a pleasant temperature of approximately 13ºC a gradual change in weather conditions is expected The 23rd will start with partly cloudy skies and then clear skies towards the afternoon Temperatures will continue to fluctuate between 10ºC and 20ºC there will likely be cloudy intervals with a gradual increase in the probability of rain Torrevieja will enjoy mostly stable weather this week with clear skies and few clouds prevailing until midweek Temperatures will remain within the usual range for this time of year it is advisable to be alert to possible changes in weather conditions towards the weekend due to the increased probability of precipitation the Asociation Alicante Para La Lucha Contra El Cancer have sent a message to all their supporters who went along to the Grand opening of their new local Headquarters and Charity Shop on Monday by the Association President Julie Hobbs and the Mayor of Pilar de la Horadada Councillor Susi Sanchez also attended the opening Julie told the Leader that it was a wonderful occasion that members and supporters have been looking forward to for many weeks “With both operations now working from one combined location we really can make a difference in Campoverde.” The charity was particularly grateful to Javier Garcia Fernandez from Cogarpro S.L who carried out an entire refurb of the property absolutely free of charge making the screening appointments and operating the shop Julie went on to add further thanks to photographer Ian Jackson to Lisa at Lisa’s Teas and Treats and to Deb at The Panaderia Campoverde for supplying the delicious scones and cup-cakes For the last two years the Association has been using the basement under the Centro Salud as the charity shop along with a small office provided by local businessman Gary Hegarty our 22 volunteers will be able to provide a much improved service to the people of Campoverde as they will be able to increase the opening hours for both the charity shop and the department dealing with the Early Detection Cancer scans and screening appointments we all know someone who has been touched by this truly awful illness a disease that knows no boundaries – Every gender that provides appointments and encouragement for early detection screening along with vital funding towards research they could also help to save your life.   The new shop is located at: Avenida de Las Especias 104 The opening times are Monday to Thursday 10.00 – 13.00 For further contact details and information: Phone – +34 711 023 837 Email aacc.campoverde@hotmail.com Chloë Dygert's late attack closed down by Vos Charlotte Kool (Team DSM) wins stage 2(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)Chloe Dygert (L) Marianne Vos (C) and Charlotte Kool (R) sprint for the win on stage 2(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)Marianne Vos and Charlotte Kool going head to head(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)Charlotte Kool all smiles after her stage win(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)Yurani Blanco Calbet of Team Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi was part of an attack with 87km to go a mostly flat affair from Orihuela to Pilar de la Horadada that came down to a mass sprint Chloé Dygert (Canyon-SRAM) tried to anticipate the sprint with a late attack 500 metres from the finish but Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo-Visma) went after the American and reached her with 100 metres to go but Kool then jumped from Vos' wheel to take the stage Dygert still held on to finish in third place “This is my first big win in a Grand Tour really nice to do it on the first sprint opportunity but luckily I found the right wheel in the end so it was a hard one,” said Kool after the finish Due to the time bonifications at the finish the first road stage had only one categorised climb on its 105.8 km The break of the day consisted of Coralie Demay (St Michel-Mavic-Auber 93) Iurani Blanco (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi) They built an advantage of up to 1:20 minutes but the peloton took up the chase early and reduced this to only 30 seconds with 56 km to go when a crosswind section split both the break and the peloton Soto and Casagranda were caught a few kilometres later while the two pelotons merged again but Demay and Blanco continued on their own Blanco was awarded the combativity prize and will wear the white jersey on stage 3 a crash in the peloton brought down several riders just as Demay and Blanco were caught Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) was the most prominent victim sporting a large spot of road rash for the rest of the stage the intermediate sprint and its bonus seconds were highly sought after Femke Markus (Team SD Worx) took six bonus seconds ahead of her sister Riejanne (Team Jumbo-Visma) and Dygert putting Riejanne Markus in the virtual race lead Dygert kept up the pace into the Puerto de Rebate climb that consisted of several short climbs interspersed with downhill sections her teammates Kasia Niewiadoma and Élise Chabbey attacked to make the race even harder whittling the peloton down to about 30 riders Jade Wiel (FDJ-SUEZ) went for the mountain points and crested the climb just ahead of Alba Teruel (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi) but they were reeled in again on the descent The size of the peloton grew again on the 19 kilometres towards the finish and after negotiating four 90-degree turns within the final three kilometres Dygert placed an attack with 500 metres to go shooting out of the peloton with speed on the right side of the road and quickly opening a gap Vos saw the danger and went after the American getting onto her rear wheel just over 100 metres from the line As Vos went around Dygert and looked over her right shoulder Kool came out of her slipstream on the Dutch superstar’s left side with superior speed winning her first Grand Tour stage with a bike length Results powered by FirstCycling Lukas Knöfler started working in cycling communications in 2013 and has seen the inside of the scene from many angles Having worked as press officer for teams and races and written for several online and print publications he has been Cyclingnews’ Women’s WorldTour correspondent since 2018 Jose Maria Perez Sanchez was responding on the town hall’s social media pages to complaints “There is little sand on our beaches owing to  storms in March and April,” he stated.  “These were not particularly intense but they continued for a long time and occurred quite near the summer.” It was because of this that the central government’s Environment ministry authorised and provided sand for Mil Palmeras beach for the first time in years “More sand than ever was brought in but nevertheless The same erosion has uncovered rocks at the water’s edge.“These have always been here but they were covered with sand in the past,” Perez Sanchez pointed out “The problem is one that has to be solved over time because we are dealing with a natural process.  This isn’t a swimming pool where we can take action whenever we want,” he said There have also been complaints about the Posidonia seaweed which must now be left on beaches and removed only in exceptional cases with permission from the regional government removing washed-up seaweed also removes sand which at present would be “completely counterproductive.” The only exception is the Puerto beach where there are accumulations of both sand and seaweed “The seaweed has been gone because 9,000 square metres of sand have been removed and redistributed on Pilar’s other beaches,” Perez Sanchez said the residents of Pilar de la Horadada celebrated the traditional pilgrimage and flower offering to the Virgin of Pilar The procession commenced from the Real de la Feria and made its way to the Parish Church of Nuestra Señora del Pilar the people of Pilar embarked on their pilgrimage to the parish they presented their floral offerings to the Virgin The festivities continued throughout the day with the Sevillanas Fair featuring activities such as the tasting of Sevillian tapas horse and carriage rides through the Real de la Feria performances by the Rociero Choir “Arte Payá,” and the Flamenco School “Ritmo Brillante.” The Sevillanas Fair concluded at 8:30.PM with a closing ceremony Turismo Pilar de la Horadada has created an amazing Culinary Easter Fest The festival has been specially designed to welcome Easter During these days until March 22nd you can enjoy different culinary options to taste the traditional flavours of the land and wine of the region The organisers have collaborated with four renowned restaurants in the city to serve these unique menus, based on the easter flavours.  The menu price €30 per person (includes bread Available for lunch and/or dinner on  until March 22 2024 Book in advance at each of the participating restaurants (check with each of them to find out the days available for booking) www.bit.ly/SaboresCuaresmaPH24 or from Monday to Sunday from 9:00 to 14:00 h email to turismo@pilardelahoradada.org or by calling 966767068 your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt Rescue efforts were underway in the Spanish village of Pilar de la Horadada on Friday (September 13) as a third person died due to the series of floods across the southern region Heavy rainfall in the regions of Valencia and Murcia have been sweeping away cars and debris and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people Reuters images showed an overturned van in half-submerged floodwaters on the AP7 motorway with a man helping in rescue efforts saying he did not know if anybody was inside Almeria and Murcia's airports were closed and tourists were also left stranded in Alicante airport The man who died in the Andalucian city of Almeria on Friday (September 13) had tried to cross a tunnel by car Two siblings also died on Thursday (September 12) when torrential rain dragged their car Although the weather has begun to stabilise several of the southeastern regions remain on red alert and local water management authorities said rivers like the Segura were still at risk of overflowing in the city of Murcia Authorities still recommend that citizens remain at home and avoid using their cars Pilar de la Horadada is gearing up for its 11th Sevillanas Fair The festivities will include a variety of events such as carriage and horse parades Susi Sánchez, the Councillor for Festivals, confirmed: ” Visitors to the Sevillanas Fair can enjoy daily Sevillian tapas listen to the Salves Rocieras played at midnight and experience various musical performances there will be a pilgrimage and flower offering to the Virgen del Pilar organised for Sunday The fair will kick off with an inauguration ceremony on Wednesday Activities and workshops for children, led by instructors, will also be available throughout the fair days, ensuring that everyone can participate in the festivities the actor who played Sergeant Apone in the 1986 sci-fi horror classic film Aliens died at his home in La Zenia last Saturday at the age of age 75 He had earlier been drinking at the Cambridge Pub in La Zenia Village but after complaining of feeling unwell he decided to return home Long-time friend Peter Walkden said that fans had lined him up with a number of drinks but he went off on his mobility scooter was found dead in his home at around 10 p.m who had known the star since his arrival in La Zenia almost 20 years ago said that he realised there was a problem as he returned to his home from a party at about 11pm “There were four police cars and an ambulance outside his house so it was quite evident that something was seriously wrong.” no-nonsense Apone in Aliens — the sequel to 1979’s Alien — Brooklyn native Matthews also starred in movies like Superman III (1983) Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and The Fifth Element (1997) Matthews’ Facebook page said he had won two Purple Hearts He worked in television and radio in France in the 1970s one news report falsely claimed Matthews had died and he later joked about this in an online interview Matthews funeral was held at the Pilar de la Horadada tanatoria on Friday afternoon was taken by Peter Walkden in the Cambridge pub “He was always pleased to have his photo taken with his fans He had a heart of gold and we are all so sorry to see him pass.” What time will this event be starting and what time do the judges make their decisions Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" What is your favourite place in Torrevieja Elche’s court of administrative has issued a ruling authorising the authorities of Pilar de la Horadada to access the sixteenth-century in order to inspect its state of preservation The local administration and the General Directorate of Culture and Heritage of the Generalitat have been trying to negotiate a visit with the owners for more than a year because the grounds and the tower both protected as an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC) are falling into an increasing state of disrepair The municipality now intends to take advantage of this decision to carry out an appraisal of the property as a first step to issuing an expropriation order “in defence of the general interest” The lookout watchtower is the most valuable building of historical heritage maintained by the municipality but it continues to be locked up It can only be seen from the outside and very few residents have had the privilege of seeing what is hidden within its walls It is the oldest property in the municipality and the council wants to guarantee its preservation at all costs explains that due to the “resistance” of the owners to allow the authorities entry to the grounds and to the building they have appealed to the courts to allow them in to make an evaluation of the building’s condition and to decide which measures are necessary to conserve the tower “The family has not wanted to collaborate and we cannot allow the oldest property of the municipality to continue to deteriorate before our eyes the owners have the right to appeal the court order to try to stop the visit of the surveyors Now that court authorisation has been received Albaladejo explained that the next step will be to inform the owners when the evaluation will be carried out Representatives of the local corporation will go along with the municipal secretary a notary and surveyors to attest the state of the property and determine what conservation actions are necessary The watchtower was built in 1591 as one of the fortifications of the Kingdom of Valencia against the attacks of the Berber pirates until the end of the 19th century when it was sold by public auction to Enrique Fulgencio Fuster y López In 1884 he built a semi-detached house in the grounds as a summer residence The building is an asset of Cultural Interest and according to the Law of Valencian Heritage it must open for public visits at least four times a month But the family that holds the noble title today has so far refused and continues to keep its contents secret The watchtower and the adjacent house are located on an imposing estate overlooking the Mediterranean It even has a private staircase that gives access to the Conde beach two floors and a terrace with a security gate it’s green wooden windows are rickety and the heraldic shield that the crown shows  obvious signs of deterioration The metal fence that borders it is old and rusty only wild stubble remains and neglected palm trees The painting of the walled courtyard is peeling the bell does not work and there is only one element that would make one think that someone lives there: a television Aerial The locals say that for most of the year nobody lives in the house and the owners only holiday in it for a few weeks in summer since 1995 the tower has been registered in the General Registry of Real Estate of Cultural Interest of the Spanish Historical Heritage As such the owners enjoy important tax privileges and neither do they pay IBI he has tried to negotiate with the owners to enable the opening of the watchtower and provide the care that the estate needs although a minimum agreement has never been reached the owners do not want to talk about this matter claiming that it is an invasion of their privacy The mayor believes that the Generalitat Valenciana would have to ensure the conservation of this heritage and demands that more work be done in this regard the best option would be for the grounds and the watchtower to become municipal property Ramos argues that the owners continue to reject any type of sale and believes that the City Council must take ownership by expropriation He recognises that it is not an easy road and that its value is not quantified but he also insists that it is the only option available in order to preserve this valuable heritage that remains locked  up today the weekly market on Friday morning willreturn with essential products in Pilar de la Horadada adopting all the required security measures Starting the weekly market on Fridays was a priority and the Generalitat Valenciana is allowing it citizens will be provided with free alcohol gel and masks 22 stalls will be there dedicated to the sale of food or basic necessities: fruits and vegetables roast chicken (not for consumption at the flea market) churros (not for consumption at the flea market) ) To date, it is still unknown if the Friday market in Torrevieja Exactly 7 years to the day since the devastating 5.1 magnitude earthquake in Lorca many people on the southern Costa Blanca said that “the Earth most definitely moved for them” when the latest tremor hit the area at 19.26 local time on Friday evening the epicentre of which was 10km off the coast of Pilar de la Horadada lots of people took to Twitter in the minutes following the quake with some reporting their homes and apartment blocks shaking for about 4-5 seconds The earthquake was felt in municipalities as widespread as Torrevieja In Torrevieja hundreds of residents ran into the street until the alert has passed while many stores supermarkets and other establishments actually evacuated their buildings Hundreds of residents took to social networks immediately after the quake telling how ornaments had moved and furniture and windows had vibrated Others identified the earthquake more because of the noise caused by the seismic activity told the Leader: “I was in that only really half-awake state fumbling round the house and watching television and I thought for a moment that a big tank had driven past the front gate it was only after a few minutes I realised it might be an earthquake It was a rumble and a vibration rather than a physical wobble.” People who witnessed the quake at the Queen Victoria pub in Cabo Roig were in no doubt as to the cause of the shake “The side of the building actually trembled” said one customer “It was certainly one of the most scary few seconds I have witnessed in recent years although thankfully I didn’t lose any beer.” One resident of Entrenaranjos contacted a site that records  local earthquakes writing “Experienced our first earthquake There was quite a large rumble which sounded like an explosion or a large vehicle hitting a building The house shook and then a strange quietness followed by a smaller aftershock.” Another resident of Torre de la Horadada wrote “Sitting watching the News when there was a sudden loud rumbling and the whole house shook just prior to the last big earthquake there and this was similar to some of the pre-shocks that we experienced.” David from Orihuela 32 km NW from epicentre was another conrtributor to the site writing “The neighbours all came out It was the worst earthquake we had experienced here in Spain It was so loud and it felt like it was directly underneath the house According to a spokesman from the National Geographic Institute (IGN) “Many of these slight tremors occur in the area every year This particular one lasted several seconds and was more “noisy” than dangerous.” The emergency services said that they received several calls from concerned residents but there are no reports of damage or injury 1829: Almost 400 dead in Torrevieja and surrounds 2010: 1.8 magnitude San Miguel epicenter barely noticeable 2012: 3.0 magnitude shakes Torrevieja and the Vega Baja 2012: La Vega records a number of minor tremors 2013: Two earthquakes in less than 10 hours in the Vega Baja are felt in the Baix Vinalopó 2013: A low intensity earthquake in the sea off torrevieja 2014: An earthquake of magnitude 2.0 is felt in Pilar de la Horadada 2014: Light earthquake off Torrevieja and Orihuela 2015: Torrevieja records an earthquake of 1.6 magnitude 2016: A 2.4- magnitude earthquake shakes Torrevieja 2016: A magnitude 3 earthquake alerts residents of Torrevieja 2017: An earthquake of magnitude 2.4wakes up the Vega Baja […] east of Torrevieja (24 March 2019) Risk of Tsunami in the Mediterranean (10 October 2018) Earthquake measuring 3.4 magnitude rattles Pilar de la Horadada (11 May 2018) Los Montesinos suffers two earthquakes in four minutes (05 October 2017) Quake shakes […] FIVE people have died after torrential rain terrifying lightning storms and flash floods deluged south-eastern Spain  - amid tornado warnings in Majorca In the latest tragedy a man was killed after his car became trapped in a tunnel that filled with torrents of water in a "matter of minutes" in Almeria Cops called to the scene earlier today managed to rescue two of the three people inside the vehicle but the man could not be saved Other stranded drivers also had to be pulled from flooded road tunnels in Pilar de la Horadada In another shocking road accident at least one person died after a torrent of mud and water engulfed road the A-92 in Jamula and her 61-year-old brother were found dead in an overturned car that flood waters had washed away in Caudete Then on Friday evening it was confirmed there had been a fifth fatality a 58-year-old man from the town of Redován died after being dragged through the water when he left his vehicle and tried to cross a street the man's body was found at 8.15pm this evening in the area known as the Virgen del Remedio de Orihuela said the country's military emergency unit is now on the streets helping combat what is called a 'gota fria' (cold drop) “A difficult and intense night,” he tweeted on Friday “Some areas remain on alert amid torrential rains Sadly we are mourning a third victim in Almería "All my love to the families of those who have died and to all those affected by the weather including the south of the island and Sierra de Tramuntana are now on red alert after local officials issuing a tornado warning Tourists are being urged to take care after Spain’s meteorological agency (AEMET) issued an “extreme risk” weather warning for the next 24 hours The travel warning was issued for the regions of Murcia “Flash floods may occur and could cause disruption and delays to transport services,” warned the UK Foreign Office Tens of thousands of Brits travelling to and from Spain are also facing serious disruption as the rain and gale-force winds hit holiday flights forcing the closure of a number of airports Palma airport in Majorca has only just been reopened after being paralysed by the storms for more than an hour Ibiza airport was also affected by the storms and at one stage Almeria airport on the mainland was also closed Murcia's international airport also had to close and has yet to reopen while Alicante airport was hit by massive delays Around 60 people had to be evacuated after becoming trapped at a nearby campsite in the beautiful coastal area of Cabo de Gata Many foreign tourists are understood to be among those affected Those rescued have been taken to a council building in nearby El Toyo Almeria Airport was also closed and schools in nine municipalities in the province of Almeria The situation remains critical in the province of Alicante further north and other areas of the Costa Blanca a favourite of British holidaymakers and expats The Segura river burst its banks in the town of Orihuela leading to local police warning those living in low-lying areas near the river needed to be evacuated urgently Residents in the ex-pat community of Torrevieja were even warned to weigh down heir cars to stop them being washed away by torrents of water Tourist beaches long the Alicante coast have also been washed away by the shocking downpours Several main highways including the AP-7 motorway near the town of Pilar de la Horadada and a large stretch of the N-332 road Local reports said several cars were trapped on the AP-7 near the town of Cartagena with drivers sat on the tops of their vehicles as they wait for help to arrive Regional health officials have launched an urgent appeal for blood donors after admitting the bad weather could lead to shortages Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ ARCHIVED - Free Spanish lessons in Pilar de la Horadada" style="margin: 5px 10px 5px 0px; float: left" width="100%" /> Free Spanish lessons are being offered at both beginner and intermediate level in Pilar de la Horadada The two eight-week courses start on October 4 with twice weekly sessions at the Town Hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays until November 30 Beginner level classes will be held in the morning from 9.15am to 10.45am and intermediate lessons will take place from 11am to 12.30pm Anybody interested in the ‘Initiation to Spanish Language’ courses must register on the ground floor of the Town Hall by Thursday September 24 call Pilar de la Horadada social services department on 965 352 222 ext 376 Image: Ayuntamiento de Pilar de la Horadada/Archive