Benidorm launches tender for the vegetated dune project to protect the Poniente and Levante beaches

Benidorm City Council's Governing Board today approved the launch of the bidding process for the contract to create five vegetated dunes to protect the beaches from climate change. This project is included in Action 2 of the 2023 Destination Tourism Sustainability Plan (PSTD) ‘Green Benidorm,’ funded by the European Union through Next Generation EU funds. That plan comprises 16 actions grouped around four strategic axes. Specifically, Action 2, which involves the execution of this project, falls under Axis 1, ‘Green and Sustainable Transition.’

The bidding process will follow the standard open procedure, with an approximate contract value of €284,987.84. The construction period has been set at a maximum of two months.

The project, as outlined in the tender specifications, will consist of the creation of artificial dune formations, which will be stabilised through revegetation with native and Mediterranean psammophilous species. The majority of the project's budget will cover the controlled addition of sand, which will be selected from authorised borrow pits and will be compatible with the native sands of Poniente Beach.

Mayor Toni Pérez highlighted this investment, stating that "it is another step in the policies we are implementing to combat climate change, and it will also provide crucial protection for our beaches because the vegetation will act as a stabilizing agent for the sand." He added that "it helps to stabilize the substrate and protects the coast from erosion, waves, and rising sea levels." These types of dunes, Pérez continued, "form a natural barrier that limits the flood level during storms."

The works will include the construction of five dune systems, three of which will be located on Poniente Beach and two more on Levante Beach.

From an environmental perspective, the planned actions will reduce erosion and promote the ecological restoration of the land. Furthermore, the project aims to improve the route for safe and accessible use, "guaranteeing transit conditions compatible with universal accessibility, safety, and comfort criteria for all users," said the mayor. "All of this," he added, "will broaden the social impact of the natural space and encourage its responsible use."

Likewise, from a landscape and educational perspective, the project will undoubtedly contribute to improving the aesthetic quality of the area and strengthening its educational function, thanks to the incorporation of signage, interpretive elements, and construction solutions integrated into the natural environment. "The dunes will become a new, iconic coastal green infrastructure for Benidorm," concluded Toni Pérez.