Benidorm will approve the Municipal Acoustic Plan at the next plenary session

The Benidorm City Council will approve the Municipal Acoustic Plan at its next plenary session. This document serves as an environmental diagnostic and management tool, establishing a coherent framework for action to prevent, control, and reduce noise pollution within the municipality. Regional legislation requires municipalities with a population exceeding 20,000 inhabitants to have such a plan.

The Plan, which highlights the city's positive results, was prepared by a specialised consulting firm and integrates the Acoustic Map, Acoustic Zoning, and Municipal Action Program. Following plenary approval, the document will be made available for public comment for one month through publication in the Official Gazette of the Valencian Community (DOGV) to allow for the submission of objections or suggestions. The document will also be available on the notice board of the Municipal Electronic Office, and the City Council will ensure its widest possible dissemination during the public consultation period. Once the deadline has passed, the file will be sent to the Ministry of the Environment, Infrastructure, and Territory for the issuance of the required report before its final approval.

The document, which will be submitted to the full council, states in its conclusions that the study's results show "an overall favourable acoustic situation compared to other municipalities with similar characteristics," as announced by Francis Muñoz, councillor for Public Space. The councillor specified that, nevertheless, "some areas have been identified where acoustic quality objectives are exceeded on residential facades, mainly during the daytime, but these areas do not present a widespread problem or serious exposure issues." These areas allow for a relative classification of problematic points, "which is very useful for guiding future actions."

Regarding road traffic noise, the results of the Acoustic Map indicate that the highest noise levels occur during the daytime, especially in the vicinity of the AP-7 and N-332 highways. Thus, the maps clearly show the noise footprints of the city's main thoroughfares, especially in the city centre, where Beniardá Avenue, Jaime I Avenue, Alfonso Puchades Avenue, and Europa Avenue stand out.

Regarding railway noise, sound emissions are similar at day and night, "although its noise footprint is very limited," Muñoz indicated. Near Beniardá Avenue, a slight impact is observed in the vicinity of several schools, such as the CEIP Vasco Núñez de Balboa and the CP Els Tolls.

The study also concludes that the TRAM line acts as a physical boundary in the northern part of the Xixo, Ciudad Médico Residencial, Foietes-Colonia Madrid-Beniardá, and Imalsa-Els Tolls neighborhoods, "although it does not generate a significant impact on these residential areas," the councilor clarified. Francis Muñoz added that the Municipal Acoustic Plan “proposes actions that are included in and coordinated with other municipal plans, such as the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP), which will facilitate future coordination of actions.”

The document will have to be reviewed and updated within a maximum of five years so that the update “will allow for the incorporation of new data, a comparison of the evolution of the acoustic situation, and the definition of more specific action plans, if necessary, for priority areas.” With the development of the Acoustic Plan, the City Council “is fulfilling its legal obligations regarding noise prevention and control and has a solid foundation on which to plan future actions,” Muñoz concluded.