Babilonia residents call for their homes to be preserved

The Babilonia neighbourhood, one of the most recognisable places along Guardamar del Segura’s seafront, is once again in the public debate after residents and supporters shared new messages on social media calling for their homes to be preserved.

The campaign is part of a dispute that has gone on for years, involving administrative procedures, appeals and opposing positions among residents, public authorities and the courts.

The houses in Babilonia are part of a traditional residential area by the sea, linked to the family history of generations of Guardamar residents and visitors. Those campaigning to protect them argue that this is about more than preserving buildings: it is also about safeguarding part of the town’s collective memory and a way of life tied to the coast.

The dispute has been shaped by coastal legislation and the administrative status of the concessions. Various rulings have addressed the recovery of the public maritime-terrestrial domain, while residents have argued that the area is unique and may have ethnological value.

In recent years, the Generalitat Valenciana has sought to pursue heritage protection for the group of homes, while the State has maintained its position on recovering the coastline. The matter has also gone through the courts, with decisions affecting whether certain procedures relating to the houses can be suspended or allowed to continue.

The dispute raises questions about coastal protection, people’s safety, local heritage and the situation of the families affected, who are calling for a clear, proportionate and legally secure response.

Decisions about Babilonia affect the families who live there and the use of this stretch of Guardamar’s coastline, where the coast is part of both local economic activity and the town’s identity.