The contract for the construction of a new modular building to expand the outpatient clinics at Torrevieja University Hospital has been awarded to ABC Arquitectura Modular SL. The firm won the final evaluation by a narrow margin, scoring 93.75 points, just ahead of the joint venture formed by Alcudia Servicios y Obras and Nuevos Sistema Modular, which obtained 93.20 points, and Fulton Servicios Integrales, with 91.81 points.
The contract was awarded for €1,133,676, including VAT. The initial tender budget was €1,308,490, also including VAT. The final price represents a reduction of €174,813, or 13.36%, compared to the tender specifications. This amount is supplemented by a contract awarded for the project management of the works, valued at an additional €38,000.
Forecasts
The project envisions constructing a new outpatient clinic at Torrevieja University Hospital, which opened in 2006, to expand the centre’s ambulatory care capacity. It is not planned as a traditional, permanent addition, but rather as a prefabricated modular building, constructed in a factory, transported to the hospital, and assembled there, where it will be connected to the existing facilities. The construction work itself will primarily involve the foundation, drainage, and assembly of the modules. Currently, the outpatient clinic building occupies one of the main areas of the hospital on the west side of the main façade, but it has become too small.
This approach reinforces the temporary or quick-fix nature of the solution from a construction standpoint, even though the project requires compliance with building regulations. This move comes at a time when the healthcare centre is overwhelmed by demand and the Generalitat lacks the budget and foresight to undertake a more substantial, long-term expansion. The Generalitat is also using this same approach to meet the demand for other public services under its jurisdiction, such as schools: in Torrevieja, four primary and secondary schools have been built entirely from prefabricated structures to accommodate the growing population.
Promises under pressure
Regional Minister Marciano Gómez and the mayor of Torrevieja, Eduardo Dolón, announced in a press conference a few months ago the transfer of land for the expansion of the health centre – by about 11,500 square metres – which groups such as the Platform for Public Health have been demanding for years.
This expansion is contingent upon the transfer of private land at the moment – it is not true that this transfer has formally taken place as Dolón maintained in the last ordinary plenary session in May – and Torrevieja City Council can only obtain it if it complies with the processing of an urban development plan now in the final stages of processing by a developer for some 2,000 homes – Sector 29 La Ceñuela – and, more importantly, the Generalitat provides it with the budget.
Staffing
The report justifies the expansion of the outpatient clinics, which will not be physically connected to the existing outpatient service, due to the “changing needs” of a healthcare centre of this type and the necessity of updating its services to offer “the most comprehensive healthcare possible.” The new building will be located in the west or left-side courtyard of the hospital—near the bus stop—and will be a single-storey structure with approximately 393 square metres of floor space.
At the same site, there is also a planned installation of prefabricated modules for the rehabilitation facilities, currently located in the right east wing of the second floor, in a procedure that is part of a different contract with a tender price of another 1,147,299 euro (VAT included) and a similar 350 square metre work located next to the one that has just been awarded.
Suite consultations
The planned programme is simple: 12 consultation rooms, distributed in two wings; a large waiting room/central corridor; a reception/control area; and a block of restrooms for men, women, and people with disabilities. The waiting room is the main space, with just over 116 square metres of usable area, and each consultation room is approximately 17 square metres. The building’s designated use is for outpatient healthcare.
In terms of construction, the building’s overall appearance is that of a lightweight, modular structure: a metal frame, sandwich panel facades, dry interior partitions, a deck roof, and vinyl flooring. The winning bidder will be able to adapt some of the structural solution and materials to its own modular system, always ensuring compliance with the Spanish Building Code. The planned timeframe also aligns with this approach: three and a half months, including module manufacturing in the workshop, transport, on-site assembly, and final finishing touches.
The hospital serves a potential protected population of 225,000 inhabitants – the latest figure is from the end of 2025 – with registered SIP card holders from Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa, Guardamar del Segura, Rojales, San Miguel de Salinas, San Fulgencio, Los Montesinos, Benijófar and Formentera del Segura.
