Restoring Marbella's beaches after storm damage will cost 400,000 euros

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The town council has activated an emergency plan to bring back Marbella's sandy beaches that, in some cases, have receded by over ten metres

José Carlos García

Marbella

Monday, 23 February 2026, 10:47

Marbella town hall has activated an urgent coastal recovery plan, at an estimated cost of over 400,000 euros, following the "serious" damage caused by all the storms and persistent rains recorded over the last few weeks.

Mayor Ángeles Muñoz visited the worst-hit areas and stressed that the Costa del Sol town "is facing one of the harshest winters in recent years, not only because of the rainfall, but also the wind and heavy sea swells, which are causing significant loss of sand and damage to practically all" of the beaches within the municipality.

"We have seen damage to dune areas, promenades and access points, as well as a significant accumulation of reeds," she said.

The mayor also stressed that "the priority is the recovery of the coastline in anticipation of high season", adding that "all municipal resources have been put to work to ensure that our more than 27 kilometres of coastline are in perfect condition".

In this regard, she indicated that "all the necessary heavy machinery is operational to reshape the coastline, remove reeds and debris and restore the full width of the beaches" and that specific equipment has been added to the whole operation "to sift the sand and optimise the repair work".

The plan being developed by Marbella council includes the replacement of walkways and other street furniture, the replacement of damaged equipment and the addition of sand from areas with surplus.

The estimated cost of the work amounts to almost 411,000 euros. This sum covers the replacement of walkways, support posts and other street furniture, also the replacement of damaged equipment and the rental of heavy machinery such as front-end loaders and dump trucks, as well as the transport and addition of sand from areas with surplus.

The mayor regretted that "once again" the town hall has to "bear the cost of all these actions alone, because the Spanish government has not contributed a single euro to our town".

Beach-by-beach damage

Among the areas worst hit by the recent storms is Artola-Cabopino beach, where up to five metres of shoreline have disappeared and 1.20 metres of elevation have dropped away in certain sections, in addition to damage to the protected dunes.

At Las Cañas and Las Chapas beaches, significant erosion is visible, with some retreats reaching up to ten metres and with sewage pipes now exposed. La Víbora beach shows damage to both the dune system and its facilities, while at Real de Zaragoza and Alicate beaches, erosion exceeding one metre and damage to wooden walkways have been detected.

At Artola-Cabopino beach, five metres of shoreline have disappeared, in parts of Nagüeles there has been a retreat of more than ten metres and at Venus, Faro and Fontanilla beaches there are spots where the shoreline has gone from thirteen metres to three.

At Adelfa-Realejo and El Pinillo beaches, there are also "significant reductions in height and width, with access points completely eroded", according to the town council.

Meanwhile, at Venus, Faro and Fontanilla beaches, "the situation is particularly serious": in certain spots, the shoreline has gone from approximately thirteen metres to just three, leaving visible containment structures, drainage networks and breakwaters. According to town hall data, at Nagüeles beach, the retreat exceeds ten metres in several places, while at Cortijo Blanco, San Pedro Alcántara and Guadalmina beaches, "abundant plant debris has accumulated and intense runoff is evident, along with erosion at the entry points".

"We are working at maximum capacity to guarantee the safety, accessibility and quality of our beaches before the start of high season", reiterated the mayor. She further stressed that "we continue to allocate all necessary means to protect our coastline after one of the most demanding winters the town has suffered in recent years".