It was an idealistic law in the first place and it should be that properties existing before it was created should remain forever. However, anything built after 1988 should be removed as having been built knowingly illegally. Banana Beach included as all involved should have known, advised or been advised that the property was illegal for many reasons including the Ley de Costas. Those involved have to be sued for negligence and criminal acts and professional indemnity insurers and the government pay compensation to those who bought ‘in good faith’ trusting their advisers, those issuing permissions and those with responsibility to oversee.
Back to the Ley de Costas: the concern will be in the detail of whether it will make possible intrusions into beach areas by declaring them urban and with a 20 m prohibition and not the 100 m one. As for Tarifa and the whole Costa de la Luz, it must be protected as an example of what the other Costas of Spain have lost. Personal gain of the few landowning families, local councillors and development company and finance company shareholders must not be permitted to rob the rest of the world of these now unique natural beauties.
