Costa Cálida
Illegal block demolished on the beach in Cartagena
By m.p. - Nov 12, 2009 - 11:16 AM
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A view of Playa Honda – www.cartagenaturismo.es
The site became protected public land when the coastal demcarcation was extended
An illegal block, a half-built five storey structure constructed on Cartagena’s Playa Honda, was demolished on Wednesday in a controlled explosion witnessed by representatives from Spain’s central government. The building was planned as a block of 80 flats, but became the property of the Coastal Authority in May last year after negotiations with the owners to purchase the building for demolition.
La Verdad newspaper reports that the building became illegal after construction had started when the Coastal Authority extended the demarcation of public coastal land, bringing the structure within the protected area. The Environment Ministry is reported to have paid over more than 12 million € of EU funding to return 6,800 square metres of beach area to public use in this way. The high price paid is understood to have been due to the fact that most of the flats had at the time the price was agreed already been sold off-plan.
Francisca Baraza, the Coastal Authority’s chief for the Murcia Region, noted that the planning permission from Cartagena Town Hall was granted legally, given that the site did not, at that time, fall within the protected area.
The site is adjacent to Playa Paraíso, where the Environment Ministry is investing almost 1 million € in restoring another part of the coast which was once earmarked for development.