Environmental campaigners have urged the Valencian Government to reject an attempt to legalise a sprawling Sunday market that has operated without formal planning permission in rural Guardamar del Segura since 1993.
Grandpa’s Market, also known as El Campico or the Lemon Tree Market, occupies around 7.7 hectares of non-development land between the N-332 and El Raso and has more than 600 stalls. Almost half the site lies within the buffer zone of the La Mata and Torrevieja Lagoons Natural Park.
The market remains open under temporary court measures while its owner, Grandpa’s Markets SL, pursues two possible routes to legalisation. These include reviving a previously rejected special development plan and securing a Declaration of Community Interest, known as a DIC, allowing certain activities on non-development land.
Amigos de los Humedales del Sur de Alicante (AHSA) has submitted formal objections calling on the Generalitat to refuse the DIC. The environmental group argues that the market places unacceptable pressure on the protected lagoon, occupies valuable agricultural land and generates serious traffic, flooding and environmental concerns.
Around 3.6 hectares of the proposed DIC area lie within the natural park’s buffer zone, while the market itself is less than 400 metres from the protected area around La Mata lagoon. AHSA disputes the developer’s assertion that the activity has no significant environmental impact and rejects the council’s classification of the market as an authorised tourism or recreational use.
The group says the proper response to an unauthorised activity operating for decades should be closure rather than retrospective legalisation.
Traffic is among its principal concerns. Studies submitted with the proposal recorded more than 4,000 vehicles during a representative trading day, bringing an estimated 8,000-plus visitors close to the natural park. Campaigners warn that designated parking areas can overflow, leading to uncontrolled parking and an increased fire risk.
Part of the site also falls within a 500-metre forest-influence zone intended to reduce wildfire dangers near woodland. AHSA believes the weekly concentration of vehicles and visitors could raise the likelihood of a fire near the lagoon.
The group argues that the land should form part of an environmental corridor linking La Mata lagoon with the Moncayo woodlands. It says the commercial development disrupts this natural connection and is inconsistent with the area’s agricultural character.
Concerns have also been raised over groundwater. The highly permeable land is considered important for aquifer recharge, and campaigners warn that soil compaction, paving, heavy vehicle use and possible spills could damage water resources connected to the lagoon.
AHSA says around two hectares are affected by geomorphological flood risk. Although the company refers to a flood study, campaigners claim it was not included among documents made available for public consultation and want the consultation repeated.
They also argue that the landscape assessment is incomplete and fails to show how the site would appear after proposed corrective measures. AHSA opposes granting the DIC for the maximum 30-year period and rejects the developer’s request for a 50% reduction in the applicable levy.
Guardamar mayor José Luis Sáez said the company is simultaneously pursuing the DIC and attempting to reactivate its special plan. A court partially upheld the company’s appeal against an earlier unfavourable environmental decision, requiring the regional authority to reconsider the case after incorporating missing reports.
That ruling does not authorise the market, but allows the planning process to be reopened. Temporary court protection against closure is reportedly renewed roughly every six months.
Sáez said the Generalitat, rather than the council, must ultimately decide whether the proposed environmental, infrastructure and access improvements are sufficient. He distinguished the case from two other Guardamar markets recently closed, arguing that Grandpa’s Market has continued submitting technical documents and investing in legal and engineering work.
The proposal includes 26,147 square metres of parking for about 1,690 vehicles, internal roads, produce stalls, retail stands, bars and restaurants. The company also proposes a new roundabout on the CV-895, shuttle buses and bicycle facilities.
The developer maintains that flood and landscape studies show no significant impact and argues that the market supports numerous families and employees.
