The final barrier protecting the small beach houses on Babilonia beach in Guardamar del Segura has fallen after the Constitutional Court upheld an appeal brought by the central government against several provisions of the Valencian Coastal Law. This legislation had previously halted planned demolitions in the area by designating the properties as ethnographic hubs.
Following this constitutional ruling, the government can now proceed with the demolition of these homes, which had already been ordered by final judicial rulings and were pending execution. The court ruled that parts of the regional law, passed on 22nd May 2025 for the protection and management of the Valencian coast, infringe upon state jurisdictions when applied to maritime-terrestrial public domain land.
While the court acknowledged that the regional government can protect the cultural, historical, and ethnological values of coastal settlements even within public domain spaces, such protection cannot limit state competencies over these areas. Consequently, the court declared specific provisions unconstitutional when applied to these plots and entirely annulled a provision concerning an inventory of degraded land.
Local residents expressed deep disappointment with the decision, noting that they are waiting to review the full ruling for its legal arguments while considering it unfortunate that the government has focused its efforts on evicting people from their homes. Representatives for the homeowners argued that removing the houses resolves no problems and fails to address underlying issues such as fixing beaches, managing the Segura river, and providing a satisfactory solution for Guardamar del Segura and the wider region.
