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Date Published: 23/07/2025

Historic water tanks in Lorca to become sustainable urban park

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Lorca’s Santa María neighbourhood will benefit from a green space transformation and rainwater reuse system

Historic water tanks in Lorca to become sustainable urban park

The City Council of Lorca has announced an ambitious plan to transform the disused water tanks in the Santa María neighbourhood into the heart of a new sustainable urban park. The project aims to turn an abandoned site in the historic centre into an innovative green space focused on environmental regeneration and climate resilience.

The announcement was made on Tuesday July 22 during a site visit by Urban Planning Councillor María Hernández, accompanied by Councillors Rosa María Medina and Belén Díaz.

Ms Hernández described the initiative as a key step in reclaiming neglected infrastructure for modern, sustainable urban use.

The existing tanks will be repurposed as a central collection and storage system for rainwater. A biofilter will be installed next to the old prison to collect and purify water, which will then be transported to the rehabilitated tanks to irrigate the new park. This closed-loop system will ensure the space can be maintained with minimal external water use.

We are not only recovering a degraded space, but transforming it into a system that will manage water efficiently and naturally, adapting our environment to the effects of climate change,” the councillor explained.

She added that water has always played a fundamental role in Lorca’s development and this initiative recovers part of that legacy.

“Thanks to the NatUR-W project, we are turning water into a tool to beautify and improve the surroundings of the Santa María neighbourhood, the historic centre and support the social, economic and environmental regeneration of the entire area.”

The park project forms part of the European Union’s NatUR-W Innovative Urban Actions scheme, which supports climate action and combats energy poverty through nature-based solutions. In Lorca, the programme also includes the renovation of the old prison building and energy efficiency upgrades to social housing.

Local Development Councillor Rosa María Medina explained that the transformation will cover a 3,110 square metre area between calles Rincón de Bautista and Laberinto. The land was recently transferred to the City Council by the Taibilla Canal Association.

“These facilities were in a state of disrepair, but they offer great potential thanks to their elevated position and panoramic views,” Ms Medina said.

The urban park will feature green walls to reduce energy use in public buildings, recycled insulation materials, bioclimatic zones for shade and cooling and areas for social gathering and recreation. The space will also be better connected with the rest of the city, addressing a long-standing demand from residents.

Additional works include landscaping, paving, installation of modern street furniture, energy-efficient lighting and upgrades to the sanitation and water networks. Ms Medina emphasised that the goal is to create both a community hub and a model of sustainable city planning.

“We want this park to be a meeting place for the people of Lorca and at the same time, an example of how nature can be integrated into the city in an innovative and efficient way,” she said.

The project has a total budget of just over €838,000 and is expected to take eight months to complete once work begins. Companies interested in bidding have until September 5 to submit their offers, with construction set to start before the end of the year.

The plan echoes another recent project in Lorca, where students helped restore a historic washhouse by the Coy river beach.

For more local news, events and visiting information, you can go to the home page of Lorca Today

Images: Ayuntamiento de Lorca

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Oficina de Turismo de Lorca

Lorca Tourist Office

The rich and extensive history of Lorca has left a legacy of archaeological sites and historic buildings around which the modern city has built its tourism industry. Amongst these are Lorca Castle, Plaza de España, the former Collegiate church of San Patricio, the municipal archaeological museum, the Casa Huerto Ruano, the Palacio de Guevara and the churches and convents of San Francisco, San Mateo, the Virgen de las Huertas, La Merced, El Carmen and many others.

Unfortunately, Lorca has been prone to natural disaster, suffering a severe flood in 1973 which killed 50 people, and a Gota Fría on September 28^th 2012, as well as a series of earthquakes, the most recent of which was 5.3 on the Richter scale on 11^th May 2011 and claimed 9 lives.

Lorca Tourist Office Lorca also has an area of unspoilt coastline incorporating the Parque Regional de Cabo Cope - Puntas de Calnegre, which includes the beaches of Puntas de Calnegre, Cala Calnegre and various others. Although only one is accessible by road others can be reached along dirt tracks!

In terms of fiestas, Lorca is synonymous with Easter (Semana Santa), its biblical parades of International Tourist Interest status being famous throughout Spain. The week includes a series of parades in which the whites (Paso Blanco) and blues (Paso Azul) try to outdo each other with the magnificence of their embroideries and the skill and daring of their horsemen.

In the Autumn Lorca also celebrates the Fiestas of San Clemente and a Feria and there are a series of important events throughout the year in the Recinto Ferial, as well as a busy cultural and sporting programme.

The tourist office relocated for 14 years to Calle San Patricio, near the church, but has now returned to its former premises alongside the Palacio de Guevara in the Plaza Concha Sandoval, or Plaza de la Bordadora (click for map).

Lorca Tourist Office Lorca also has an area of inspoilt coastline incorporating the Parque Regional de Cabo Cope - Puntas de Calnegre, in the Sierra de Almenara, which includes the beaches of Puntas de Calnegre, Baño de las Mujeres, San Pedro, El Siscal, Cala Honda, Cuartel del Ciscar, Junquera, Cala de la Gruta, Cala Leña, Los Hierros, Cala Blanca and Playa Larga, although many are accessible only along difficult tracks or by boat!

Lorca Tourist Office However, in spite of its many attractions, the name of Lorca is synonymous with Easter, (Semana Santa) its biblical parades of International Tourist Interest status and famous throughout Spain. The week includes a series of processions in which the Whites (Paso Blanco) and Blues (Paso Azúl) try to outdo each other with the magnificence of their embroideries and the skill and daring of their horsemen.