The company executing the macro-project on Gibraltar’s eastern flank to build hotels and houses is having to defend itself against accusations and claims the European Union’s Directorate-General for the Environment reported that no “violations of EU environmental legislation” has been identified.
The urban project – “Eastside” – for which Gibraltar is allegedly carrying out land reclamation in Spanish waters, is generating all sorts of opinions both within and outside the borders of the Campo de Gibraltar.
This is not a new project – in 2022, TNG Global Realty Limited, the managing company of the project, obtained general planning permission to develop it in the Levante area of the Rock.
The aim was to create something exclusive that would positively transform the eastern side of Gibraltar, establishing the area as a prestigious destination with an elegant and modern development. It will feature luxury apartments in skyscrapers, a hotel and extensive leisure facilities such as restaurants, a marina, and other amenities, including a large botanical garden.
For this, the works were going to require coastal protection measures that needed the construction of a retaining wall, with costs estimated at over £100 million.
It has all the necessary permits for construction and is expected to have a development duration of ten years.
In July 2014, following complaints from the Spanish Government, the European Commission ruled that it had not been possible to identify any environmental regulatory violations in these reclamations. Now, controversy has resurfaced following alleged illegal reclamations.
For many, this project is being developed based on a series of irregularities that should be addressed by the Spanish Government, which has so far remained silent.
A few days ago, TNG issued a statement asserting that the European Union’s Directorate-General for Environment reported in a document issued by the body, and after evaluating responses from the Government of Gibraltar and clarifications requested by Spain regarding various activities on the Rock’s coast, that “no infringements of EU environmental legislation have been identified,” supporting its legality.
They claim that the large-scale urban project has been monitored by local authorities and international bodies to ensure compliance with environmental standards.
The statement comes amid a sustained media campaign by the Spanish environmental group Verdemar, which has also raised its concerns with the Andalusian regional government. Among its complaints includes activities at the quarry of Utrera in Casares.
Verdemar has been calling for the Junta de Andaucia to review activities in Utrera, saying the quarry was within the protected Natura 2000 area.
However, in the Andalusian government’s letter to environmentalists, it says the exportation of large rocks to Gibraltar is a legitimate commercial operation, governed by both international and Spanish law, including World Trade Organization rules and regulations from Spain’s Ministry of Economy.
The Junta also reiterated that La Utrera quarry complies with all relevant legal and environmental regulations, including emissions limits.
But, despite the letter, Verdemar insists that the extraction of rocks in Utrera is illegal, arguing it exceeds the authorised parameters and poses risks to air quality, as well as to the natural and archaeological sites of the Sierra de la Utrera. The environmental group says it now plans to pursue further legal action to halt the exportation of rocks.
Some 61,700 metric tons of stone and rubble have been tipped into the sea to create the foundations for the new 1.7-square-mile marina development.
Boasting a marina with space for 600 moorings, around 1,300 residential homes, 100 of which will be affordable and a business park with thousands of parking spaces, the project is scheduled for completion in 2026.
The Eastside project is the latest manifestation of Gibraltar’s fast-paced growth, which is forecast to contribute nearly £2.5 billion towards the territory’s GDP.
