The future of a cluster of seaside terraces in Castelldefels hangs in the balance after a Catalan court ruled that their licences were granted unlawfully.
The case centres on ten licences approved by the Generalitat in 2019 that allowed the local council to authorise restaurant terraces along the second stretch of the seafront promenade, between Lluminetes and Baixador beaches. Six of these terraces, mounted on wooden platforms directly over sand, were challenged by Spain’s Directorate-General for Coastal Sustainability, part of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition.
In July, the Third Section of the Contentious-Administrative Chamber of the High Court of Justice of Catalonia sided with the Ministry, concluding that the terraces cannot legally be considered part of the promenade since they are built directly on sand. Instead, the judges ruled, they fall within a protected coastal zone, which requires a full concession similar to that of a beach bar and strict spacing rules of at least 100 metres between establishments.
The ruling is the latest in a series of legal setbacks for the powerful hospitality sector in Castelldefels. In 2021, a similar case ended with a comparable verdict against other seafront terraces. Unlike previous proceedings, however, the 2019 dispute involves not just the Generalitat and the council but also five restaurant owners as parties to the case.
While the judgement nullifies the authorisations and orders the payment of legal costs of €3,000, it does not explicitly demand the dismantling of the structures. This legal grey area leaves terrace operators in limbo as they weigh whether to appeal to the Supreme Court.
For now, diners can still enjoy a meal with sand at their feet, but the court’s decision signals a tightening of the legal framework for businesses operating along Catalonia’s beaches. The outcome may shape how coastal towns balance commercial interests with environmental regulation in the years ahead.
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