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Date Published: 02/10/2024

Protests over plans for luxury hotel on Andalucía's last stretch of unspoilt coast

Thousands have rallied to protect the Cabo de Gata Natural Park from development

Thousands of locals and expats have united to protest against plans to build a luxury hotel within the protected Cabo de Gata nature reserve in Andalucía.

The proposed development, located near the ‘unspoilt’ Los Genoveses beach in Almería, threatens one of Spain’s few remaining undeveloped Mediterranean coastal areas.

The company behind the project, Torres y González Díaz, plans to convert the former Las Chiqueras estate, a former pig farm, into a 30-room, four-star hotel complete with 70 parking spaces and several swimming pools. With panoramic views of one of Spain’s most acclaimed beaches, the project has been met with staunch resistance since 2016.

Recently, opposition has grown following a decision by the local Town Council of Níjar, led by a right-wing coalition of Vox and the PP, to take a step closer to approving construction of the hotel.

Níjar Mayor José Garrido announced in July that construction would be permitted on the rural land, a decision backed by the PP-led Junta de Andalucía last year when environmental authorisation for the project was controversially granted.

The situation recalls the contentious Algarrobico hotel, another large-scale development on a pristine beach in Cabo de Gata, which has been at the centre of a legal battle for over two decades.

In light of these decisions, protests have surged. The group Genoveses Sin Hotel recently organised a march in Almería, drawing large crowds of demonstrators who chanted and displayed banners denouncing the project.

In addition to the public protests, 4,000 individual complaints have been filed with the town hall, and 260,000 people have signed an online petition to halt the development. Céline Feutry, president of the Genoveses Sin Hotel platform, remains hopeful that the plans can still be stopped but emphasised the need for continued mobilisation.

Feutry, who has strongly criticised the project’s lack of local social or economic benefit, is prepared to take legal action if necessary. The site is zoned for agricultural use, and approval could set a dangerous precedent, enabling similar developments on nearby farms.

Meanwhile, supporters of the project argue it is being classified as ‘of economic and social interest’ to justify its construction.

As tensions escalate, environmentalists and locals are committed to fighting for the preservation of Andalusia’s last unspoilt stretch of coastline.

Related story: New luxury development under construction in Mojácar raises environmental concerns

Image: Playa de los Genoveses / andalucia.org

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