Finestrat Begins Construction of Elevator Connecting Urban Centre to Ermita del Castell

Finestrat Town Council has commenced construction work this week on the elevator that will connect the Casa de Cultura car park with the Ermita del Castell, one of the town's most iconic landmarks. This is one of the flagship projects of the current legislature, which will receive European funding through the Next Generation funds.

The new elevator will overcome the steep gradient between the lower part of the urban centre and the higher area of the Penya, facilitating access to historic streets such as Sant Josep and Sant Miquel, many of which face significant accessibility challenges. The project includes the construction of a 50-metre-high tower and a 20-metre-long walkway, with a total investment of 700,000 euros, 300,000 of which will come from European funds.

The Mayor of Finestrat, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, told TodoAlicante that "we deliberated extensively on the elevator project" due to its potential visual impact on the Castell's surroundings. However, the mayor recalled how during recent celebrations, such as communions and baptisms at the Ermita, "many close relatives stayed in the bars because they couldn't climb up. That day I realised that while the image of the Penya can be altered, a grandparent missing their grandchild's baptism is irreplaceable."

Pérez Llorca also emphasised that this infrastructure will not only improve accessibility but also contribute to the revitalisation of the old town: "The highest streets are the narrowest and have the worst accessibility. Many homes are becoming vacant, and in the current housing shortage context, this is a very serious problem. I am convinced that in four or five years, this project will help to rejuvenate the area."

The elevator works will not pause during the summer, nor will the recently initiated works to enhance the Penya's surroundings, where a pedestrian ring with a bike lane will be constructed. This second project is valued at 2.5 million euros, with 1.2 million funded by the European Union.

For the upcoming school year, the Town Council also plans to advance the tender for its second municipal nursery school. The new facility will have a capacity for 125 places and will be located in the Balcón de Finestrat urbanisation, near the town's second school.

The Council is already drafting the terms and conditions with the intention of tendering the works this summer, awarding them in September, and starting before the end of the year. The expected execution period is 12 months.

Additionally, the mayor has announced that he expects to receive guidelines from the Department of Education this month regarding the future third Infant and Primary school in the town, which will be built at the entrance of the Terra Marina urbanisation. The Valencian Government has already allocated one million euros in the regional budget for the commencement of this new educational centre.