Corralejo Beach works trigger environmental complaints and disputes between business owners
Construction on the Corralejo beach promenade in Fuerteventura has sparked strong criticism from environmental groups and ignited tensions among local business owners in the hospitality sector.
The project, which aims to widen the seafront walkway, involves laying fresh gravel over the existing surface. Environmental organisations argue that the gravel is spreading onto the natural sand of the beach, causing irreversible damage.
“They are affecting the coastal ecosystem by introducing gravel into the environment,” said biologist Carmen Morales of Clean Ocean Project. Daniel Bastos, from Vocal SOS Fuerteventura, echoed this concern: “It creates an impact that cannot be reversed. Once the gravel mixes with the sand, it will further reduce what little beach remains in Corralejo.”
The dispute has also spilled over into the local business community. According to Antonio Hormiga, president of ASOFUER, his association has received a complaint from a business owner in the affected zone alleging that the works “benefit another business owner.” Hormiga added that terraces are theoretically not permitted in that area.
Responding to the accusations, Ariel Alpízar, owner of Patai Beach and the businessman referenced in the complaint, stated that he does not use any terrace, emphasising that the La Oliva Council has already planned a regulated promenade layout that defines terrace boundaries.
RTVC reports that La Oliva Town Council, which oversees Corralejo, has clarified that the construction involves a “future walkway that complies with all regulations.” However, several local business owners claim they have had no communication from municipal technicians, saying: “Not a single technician has come. Nobody has spoken to us.”
The Town Council insists that the intervention is environmentally respectful, despite objections from environmental groups, which advocate for “alternative solutions using sustainable, ecological materials that do not harm the beach or its surroundings.”
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