A far cry away from Ibiza’s vibrant nightlife and stunning beaches lies the growing emergence of shantytowns as sky high rents are making it almost impossible for hospitality workers to live in one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe. Shanty towns area growing across Ibiza with the land between Sa Carroca and Can Raspall becoming overrun with tents and vehicles.
Despite being a much loved holiday destination the shanty towns are creating a severe impact on living conditions causing the crisis to reach fever pitch. Instagram user Ibai Rider (@ibairider) went for a run through a forest on the island and suddenly came across a series of makeshift homes. He said: “The price of housing and rent is so exorbitant in Ibiza that many, even if they work, are forced to live like this.
“That with a salary of a thousand and some euros you have to live in a tent seems incredible to me.”
On Wednesday, April 9 a major eviction targeting an illegal 26,000-square-metre settlement in Santa Eularia, Ibiza’s third largest resort, was halted just hours after it began.
The operation, which involved 84 officers from the Policia Local, Guardia Civil, and Policia Nacional, started at 9am following a March 25 court order by Palma’s Administrative Court No. 1.
However, just as the operation was due to commence Judge Cristina Pancorbo reversed her decision after receiving a vulnerability report from lawyer David Fechenbach who argued that the residents had not been properly notified of the eviction.
He added that the residents, many of whom are from Paraguay, were unable to defend themselves legally.
The local government also warned that infrastructure posed a risk to nearby desalination pipes supplying Ibiza Town and the island’s hospital.
As a result the operation was called off and residents were seen dragging belongings and children’s items back to their makeshift camp.
The legal battle is to rumble on with a separate civil hearing already scheduled in Ibiza for June 6.
Last year, the Balearic Islands attracted 17.8 million tourists, making it the second most popular destination in Spain after the Canary Islands. Tourism generates 200,000 jobs and £13.8 billion annually, accounting for 45% of the islands’ Gross Domestic Product. However, this influx of visitors is contributing to the housing crisis and diminishing quality of life for residents.
