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The Ayuntamiento de San Javier is set to demolish 39 dilapidated premises of the former La Manga shopping mall opposite the Doblemar Hotel, beginning October 6. These neglected buildings, covering nearly 1,900 square metres, have long blighted the area, posing safety risks and detracting from the popular Mediterranean beach path.

 

Earlier in 2024, the council ordered demolition of nine similarly unsafe premises. After repeated inaction from owners, primarily the Balearic group Roc Hotels who own about 60%, alongside smaller local stakeholders, the council opted for subsidiary demolition work and will bill the owners around €145,000 for dismantling and debris removal. This cost adds to the €44,000 spent on last year’s initial demolitions. Should the owners fail to repay, enforcement actions including foreclosure or public auction will be pursued.

 

San Javier’s Urban Planning Councilor Antonio Martínez Torrecillas explained, "Multiple owners have neglected their obligations, forcing the City Council to intervene urgently for public safety and to improve the area’s appearance. We will ensure the costs are recovered, and if necessary, take enforcement action to reclaim municipal funds." 

 

The demolition will leave a cleared 3,000-square-metre commercial plot between the hotel and the beach. Although once linked to the Doblemar Hotel via an underground passage, it has been closed for some time.

 

This project follows the costly removal of the infamous Lagoymar ghost hotel at kilometer 7.5, for which the council is negotiating repayment of the €1 million demolition expense from owner Tomás Maestre. Other recent demolitions include the old Telefónica building in San Javier, with further plans pending in Santiago de la Ribera, marking the council’s firm commitment to urban renewal, public safety, and tourism development.

 

With these decisive actions, La Manga is poised to move beyond decades of neglect, making way for renewed vibrancy and better experiences for residents and visitors alike in one of Murcia’s busiest coastal tourism hotspots. 

 

 

Image: Ayuntamiento de San Javier