We just came back from a long holiday in Costa Blanca, Spain. We were based in the outskirt of Alicante, regional Capital, hotspot for business and local airport for tourism. I was somewhat surprised to learn that Alicante is the most densely populated city in the world, overtaking congested cities like Cairo, Kolkata, Mumbai and Tokyo, although Spain is a large country with less than 47 million inhabitants. I should have realized this density, as there are hardly any buildings less than twenty floor high except in city outskirts!
Even with such high density, it is green, pleasant city with plenty of open space and abundant parking. This is mainly due to excellent planning, with plenty of open space between two tower blocks. Every tower block has to provide enough parking spaces which are divided between underground and over ground parking facilities. Even city center is no exemption with not only parking spaces but mini forests, cluster of trees, bushes and ponds where wildlife can coexist side by side with humans, in controlled, well managed areas. Can we imagine such coexistence in our city Center?
Another distinction is that although each tower block has some 200 flats, there is no vandalism; buildings are beautifully decorated in rainbow colours, flats are immaculately maintained, built to take in maximum sunlight, as climate is more Mediterranean than anywhere else on mainland Europe with hot summers and warm winters, all year enjoyable climate. No wonder there are so many Brits expatriates here. In sharp contrast, London is on building boom with high-rising constructions that provide much needed flats. But unfortunately it is planned without thoughts, without parking space or other facilities, such as schools, hospitals, GP and Dental surgeries that should go hand in hand, as England is the most densely populated country in Europe with land at a premium!
Kumudini Valambia
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