The Andalucían Government has denied a company a concession to occupy about 300 square meters of land and build a Chiringuito beach bar in the coastal area of Guadalmina, in San Pedro Alcántara.
Sensitive Coastal Area and Conservation Concerns
The Andalucían Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, in a resolution spanning five pages dated late November, obtained by La Opinión de Málaga, states that the location for the proposed beach establishment is “especially sensitive” and of “special conservation.” It emphasizes that in such environments, constructions must be less than 70 square meters in size.
“The area around the mouth of the Guadalmina River is unstable, regressive, and narrow, subject to continuous changes due to the convergence of both riverine and marine influences, causing its instability,” the resolution states.
“Such is its instability that it is not considered a safe space to be occupied by facilities of this nature,” it adds.
Unsuitable Beach Section and Lack of Municipal Facilities
The beach section, according to the Junta’s document, lacks municipal facilities such as access points, electrical and water supply networks, or sewerage due to being a protected area.
The beach establishment project also includes the construction of a basement, which is “expressly prohibited” by legal regulations, notes the Junta.
The executive government’s resolution follows objections raised by Ecologistas Malaka against the beach establishment construction project.
The ecological group highlights that the company intended to build in an area of Coastal Public Maritime Land – which cannot be occupied – with a building size of about 500 square meters, featuring a ground floor of 200 square meters, a terrace of 70 square meters, a basement with a built area of 200 square meters, and an additional 30 square meters for toilets.
Protected Zone and Environmental Impact
Moreover, the planned location by the company, the mouth of the Guadalmina River, is an area of special protection by the EU.
“The construction of a concrete building with a basement are elements that stiffen the coast and damage its own dynamics, greatly hindering the regeneration of the environment. As fixed, cemented, and foundation works, they profoundly alter the natural space of the beach,” states the group via social media.
“When there are tides, these constructions do not mitigate their impact like sand does; instead, they increase the wave energy and cause more sand loss,” it adds.
The company has the option to file a reconsideration appeal against the Junta’s resolution with the Directorate General of Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change of the Ministry of Sustainability.
