Easing Spanish coastline building restrictions is not the way to go

The Spanish government is planning on amending the countries strict 1988 coastline law that bans construction within 100 metres of the shore to open up a loophole that will in practice reduce this to just 20 metres.

You just need to look at some of the most densely built areas of Spain’s coastline to see that this is the wrong way to go. Protected areas such as the natural park at Cap de Creus manage to preserve some pockets of the country’s most spectacular coast, but then just look at Lloret and Platja d’Aro to see how it can go wrong.

I don’t know Lloret particularly well (actually, I avoid it) but Platja d’Aro has plenty of amenities; what it doesn’t have is any beauty despite a fabulous beach and the sun sets behind the high-rise apartments and hotels rather than the hills leaving the beach in shade.

Is that what the PP wants? An entire coastline of high rise buildings casting the entire east cost of Spain into the shade in order for the constructors to benefit once again and then no doubt go through the whole boom and bust cycle?

Source: El Pais

Tags: Coast, socialmedia, Spain