Torrevieja is a large town .The outlying areas have grown in the last 20 years and tend to be the place of choice for Brits. Many Brits refer to this whole area as torrevieja. The town is actually very Spanish and is the main focal point for work. It has many banks, estate agents and lawyers which reflects the desire of people to buy properties in the area. To many Brits the town is perceived as a bit dirty and ugly and busy in the summer months. If you don't feel like integrating into Spanish life then the outlying urbanisations maybe what you are looking for. However with Brexit it seems reasonable to assume that these areas will see a slow fall in populations over the next 10 years as stringent non EU immigration laws will apply meaning less Brits will be able to live permanently .In other words they could become ghost towns.

It remains to be seen what effect Brexit will have, but I doubt it will bring a dramatic change. Brits bought long before we joined and many properties are owned by non EU citizens.

EU schengen area rules mean that you have to be reasonably well off to be able to come here - I am not sure how many retirees can show an income of €32000 for a couple who wish to live here full time. Europe as a whole is a very different place and so are the requirements to residency if you are a non EU citizen... You will need to be well off... either purchase property with more than €500k or have a good income from outside of Europe.

I think Spain has already made that clear. This is an extract from the information regarding residency post-Brexit on the La Moncloa official website:-

"2.8. What is my situation if I arrive in Spain after the withdrawal date? What do I have to do?
From the day following the withdrawal date, UK nationals will have the condition of third-country nationals and the general arrangements for foreigners in Spain will be applicable to them. They may not request the application of the provisions of Royal Decree-Law 5/2019, as the scope of application is limited to those who were residents before the withdrawal date."

This is confirmed by the information on the CAB Spain website which was updated yesterday, if you care to check it.

The conditions applicable to third country nationals include the income requirements for non-lucrative visas which Smithy73 quoted above.

That is an entirely different issue to the comment which I responded to. I would suggest this is grossly overstating the effect.
"In other words they could become ghost towns."

There are many Brits who have lived in Spain for many years who (for a variety of reasons) have never applied for residencia. You may argue that they should, but that is an entirely separate issue.

My comment about ghost towns is based on the belief that post Brexit less UK nationals will set up home in Spain. The urbanisations around torrevieja have grown considerably in the last 25 years and many are packed with Brits. After Brexit it seems reasonable to assume those numbers will decrease after existing pensioners either die or move back to UK. I can't see how these places will survive in 20 years time as other groups of foreigners seem to have their own enclaves

I don't feel it is reasonable to assume anything at all at this stage. We haven't even left yet and as of today who knows if and when we ever will and if we do what rules and regulations will apply to the U.K as an ex member. It is all unknown. Plus the fact is that in the recent years a large influx to Spain has been from Norway which is non E.U. and they don't seem to have problems living here and getting residencia. Your possible Ghost town scenario is pure scaremongering.

But didn't Norway accept freedom of movement? Also Norwegians are rich. And one thing that is sure is that rich British pensioners will be able to move to Spain after Brexit. Just the less well off will have a problem.

Anyhow, I also think that the comment about ghost towns is a bit much. The British might very will be supplanted by other foreigners - rich Chinese and Indians maybe? There are billions of people on this planet and scince we are all going global now there will be a lot of competition for housing and visas.

Exactly my point, nobody knows the terms or reciprocal agreements that may be afforded to the U.K if and when we leave so its pointless to make assumptions at this stage. But ghost towns just a silly assumption in my opinion

I'm not scaremongering simply making a prediction that the numbers of Brits living in Spain is likely to go down after Brexit and that parts of the South of Spain have specific areas which are predominately British enclaves. They overbuilt in this area so there is plenty of stock which would not be so bad except that interior land is cheap so new constructions are starting again each with an eye on specific markets. Anyone who lived in torrevieja 30 years ago must remember how deserted it was in the winter. They didn't use to put on any street lights till spring!!!

If it happens of course, but you are right. Many people also forget the value of the pound and with a bad economy fewer people can actually afford the now relatively high prices. It's more likely that the UK will not leave, as so much damage has been done and they are starting to realize how wrong they were.

Spain has other problems re population. Thousands marched in Madrid yesterday to tell the government to do something about the desertion in rural communities. Seemingly, 90% of Spanish are resident in and around Madrid and on the coasts

...and now wish that they had!!!