The PP-Vox coalition government, in alliance with the Local Police, has launched a crusade against open-field businesses in the outlying districts of Torrellano and El Altet. Yesterday, Friday 26th June, officers of the municipal security force shut down a vehicle parking business operating without a licence at the entrance to Torrellano. The operation took place on a plot of land measuring 20,000 square metres, where approximately 500 vehicles were parked at the time.
Mayor Pablo Ruz and Chief Commissioner of the Local Police, César Zaragoza, appeared urgently to make the announcement official. The Mayor of Elche emphasised that “to govern is to give orders,” adding that “the City Council, after many years of turning a blind eye, has finally decided to act.” He justified the action by stating that “the City Council is responsible for ensuring compliance with the law and public safety, given the potential consequences of an open field in a rural, agricultural setting,” making it clear that “this is not an arbitrary decision.”
The lot in question lacked the necessary licence to operate, and inspection reports document the site’s development. “In February, there was only earthmoving, and by May, the business of storing cars was already underway, with hundreds of vehicles inside.” This economic activity was launched after a motion approved by the governing board on 23rd April to amend the General Urban Development Plan (PGOU) to regulate these types of businesses.
According to the mayor, the closure is the result of months of work by the Local Police and the Licensing Department. He explained that official reports, formal requests, and notifications had been made, followed by a prior hearing process, the submission and subsequent dismissal of arguments, the closure order, and an appeal by the interested party, which was also dismissed.
Six local police officers participated in the operation, which proceeded without incident. Following the closure, 500 vehicles remain inside the impound lot. Owners can retrieve them by following the instructions of municipal officers to ensure the establishment remains closed, as stipulated by the decree.
The mayor announced that this will not be the only action, stating, “This is a turning point; anything that comes from now on will not be authorised.” More closures are expected in the coming weeks, with two other cases at an advanced stage that have passed the hearing phase and are in the resolution phase. These cases also involve activities started after the governing board’s agreement last April.
These closures take place alongside inspections carried out in recent weeks. More than 110 establishments have been identified, occupying 100 hectares in the heart of the Camp d’Elx area. Local police and municipal engineers have conducted approximately 81 inspections. All present some type of administrative irregularity, and operators now have three months to submit plans, safety measures, and documentation. Around 30 facilities with provisional licences granted in 2005 are also being reviewed.
The lots are extremely varied. Ruz differentiated between lots dedicated to vehicle rentals, which he said are necessary near the airport, and those used as parking. César Zaragoza specified that some have been detected operating as scrap yards, which carry an inherent risk of fires that could affect air traffic given their proximity to the airfield.
A warning was also issued to landowners who lease their land for the installation of new livestock farms in Elche. Pablo Ruz stated, “In recent weeks, we have detected some very strange activity, and we will use the full force of the institution against it,” adding that some landowners are renting plots for livestock farms for amounts between 18,000 and 19,000 euro. The mayor and chief of the local police warned landowners that they risk losing their leases due to the closure of these businesses, highlighting problems with soil sealing, water runoff, and potential fires near residential properties.
