La Mata Norte beach in Torrevieja remains without a Blue Flag despite being one of the municipality’s widest, longest and most popular stretches of coastline.
The reason is not water quality, cleaning or lifeguard services, but a long-running breach of Spain’s Coastal Law linked to the Montegira II building on Avenida de los Daneses. The 1,700-square-metre property stands on public maritime-terrestrial land and has been subject to a demolition order confirmed by the courts in several rulings over the past 15 years.
The beach, also known as La Mata Pueblo, stretches for around 900 metres and is considered one of Torrevieja’s best bathing areas. It benefits from daily cleaning, lifeguards during the summer season and holiday periods, and clear open water between the La Mata salt lagoon and the Lloyds Club Hotel area.
However, the presence of the illegal building prevents the beach from meeting the requirements needed for Blue Flag accreditation, which is awarded by the Association for Environmental Education and Consumer Protection, ADEAC.
The case dates back to the early 1990s, when Torrevieja Town Council granted a building licence while the area was still undergoing coastal boundary demarcation. Official records already indicated that the land could fall within the protected public domain, close to one of the last remaining dune sections on La Mata’s urban coastline.
Despite the confirmed demolition order, the building remains in place. The Ministry for Ecological Transition’s coastal authority has not carried out the demolition, reportedly due to the presence of privately owned and occupied apartments, although no official explanation has been confirmed.
The council has also been criticised for granting access and public-road occupation permits to businesses operating in the building, allegedly without the required authorisation from the coastal authority.
As a result, La Mata Norte continues to operate as one of Torrevieja’s best beaches — but without the Blue Flag distinction.
