Reform of the Coastal Law: longer concessions and more legal certainty

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The law makes a deep amendment to the 1988 Coastal Law to strengthen coastal protection and give more legal certainty to people who live or run businesses on the coast.
2. Concessions to occupy the public maritime-land domain may last at most 75 years, and authorizations go from a one-year to a four-year maximum. Concessions can also be transferred between living parties (with prior approval) or inherited, with four years to notify the subrogation.
3. An extraordinary extension of up to 75 years is created for existing concessions granted before this law, at the holder's request. For installations covered by the pollution prevention law, a regional environmental report is required, and it is binding.
4. Owners of legitimate buildings in the protection easement zone may carry out repair, improvement, consolidation and modernization works, without increasing volume, height or surface, and a responsible declaration replaces the regional authorization. In some population centers, the easement is reduced from 100 to 20 meters.
5. Climate change measures are strengthened: coastal stretches can be declared in severe regression, where no new occupancy titles will be granted, and projects must include an assessment of climate change effects. The Ministry must prepare a coastal adaptation strategy within two years.
6. Land in a list of specific population centers (such as Empuriabrava, Pedregalejo or El Palo) is excluded from the public maritime-land domain and may be transferred to its occupants. Seaside developments with navigable canals are also regulated, and land can be returned to owners who held registered title before 1988.

Who it affects

• Holders of concessions and authorizations on the coast: They can request extensions of up to 75 years and transfer their rights, but they pay a fee and take on new environmental obligations.
• Owners of homes in the protection easement zone: They can renovate with a responsible declaration, as long as they do not increase volume, height or surface.
• Residents of the centers listed in the annex: Their land stops being public domain and they can acquire it.
• Municipalities and autonomous communities: The State can suspend their decisions affecting the public domain; regional governments issue environmental reports and can impose fines.

Words worth knowing

Dominio público marítimo-terrestre (public maritime-land domain)

Property that belongs to everyone: the seashore, beaches, territorial waters and inland waters.

Concesión (concession)

Permission to exclusively use public property for a period of time, without becoming its owner.

Deslinde (boundary demarcation)

Procedure to determine on the ground where the public maritime-land domain begins and ends.

Zona de servidumbre de protección (protection easement zone)

Strip of land next to the public domain where only certain activities and works are allowed.

Declaración responsable (responsible declaration)

A document in which the person declares compliance with the law, allowing them to act without waiting for prior authorization.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries