In 2022, a major ruling by the brought national attention back to the issue of illegal construction on the coast. The court ordered the complete demolition of the Isla de Valdecañas luxury resort in Extremadura, which had been built illegally on a protected Natura 2000 network site. The Isla de Valdecañas Case (2022)
: After 14 years of litigation, the Supreme Court overturned a previous lower court decision that would have allowed the existing buildings to stay. The 2022 ruling mandated that even the already-completed structures must be torn down to restore the ecosystem. Broader Context of Coastal Protection (2022) In 2022, a major ruling by the brought
: Passed in September 2022, this revolutionary law granted legal personality to the Mar Menor lagoon and its basin. It was the first time an ecosystem in Europe was recognized as a subject of rights, giving it the legal standing to "exist as an ecosystem and evolve naturally". The 2022 ruling mandated that even the already-completed
: Perpetrators (promoters, builders, or professionals) can face 1 to 4 years in prison. : Perpetrators (promoters
: Fines can be up to three times the profit made from the illegal construction. Ongoing "Black Spots"
Under Spanish law, specifically , building in protected areas carries heavy penalties:
: It was constructed on land designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for birds, which prohibited such large-scale urbanization.