Guardamar Castle hillside restoration moves closer with new erosion protection project

Work to protect and restore part of the hillside below Guardamar del Segura’s historic castle has moved a step closer.

The project will tackle erosion on one of the gullies running down the castle hillside, where heavy rain can wash earth and sediment towards the town’s stormwater drainage systems.

The planned improvements are designed to stabilise the land, manage the effects of rainfall and improve the landscape surrounding one of Guardamar’s best-known historic landmarks.

Terraces and walls to tackle erosion

Plans include reshaping the land to create a series of terraces and constructing five gabion walls, which use stones held within wire cages to stabilise the ground and help control erosion.

The structures will help reduce the movement of soil and sediment down the hillside when periods of heavy rainfall affect the area.

Controlling the amount of material washed from the slope should also help protect the stormwater drainage network below and reduce problems caused by sediment entering the system.

A new irrigation network will be installed to serve the terraces, while carob trees will be planted as part of efforts to improve the landscape and introduce vegetation to the restored area.

Four months of work planned

The work is expected to take four months once the contract has been formally awarded.

Excavaciones Simon’s bid has been checked and accepted by the procurement committee, which unanimously recommended the company for the contract.

However, formal approval is still required before work can begin, meaning the project has not yet reached the construction stage.

Once that final approval is secured, the scheme will allow restoration and stabilisation work to get underway on the affected section of hillside.

Protecting Guardamar’s historic castle setting

The project forms part of the Vega Renhace Plan, created following the devastating flooding experienced across the Vega Baja in 2019.

That flooding highlighted the importance of improving drainage, water management and resilience to extreme weather across the region.

The hillside surrounds Guardamar Castle, which is officially protected as a Site of Cultural Interest.

Its location means the planned work has a dual purpose, helping to manage the effects of heavy rainfall while also protecting and improving the landscape around an important part of Guardamar’s heritage.

With the preferred contractor now recommended, the project has taken another step forward, although formal approval will still be needed before the four-month programme of work can begin.