Enough is enough: Can Picafort's neglected squatted Espigol Beach complex and the failure of those responsible

Enough is enough: Can Picafort's neglected squatted Espigol Beach complex and the failure of those responsible

A guiding question: Who protects the neighborhood when an entire complex is ground down between law, ownership and housing shortages?

On my early morning walk along the Avinguda de la Platja in Can Picafort you hear seagulls, the crunching of street sweepers and the occasional calls of market vendors. Not far away, behind crumbling walls in the Son Bauló quarter, lies the Espigol Beach complex. From a distance it looks like a relic from better tourism times. Up close it is another world: piles of rubbish in front of locked doors, two clouded pools with standing water and open windows behind which lights flicker.

Residents' explanation is unequivocal: years of complaints, meetings without results, promises that were not kept. According to them problems with hygiene, illegal electricity, noise, break‑ins and hazardous water spots that serve as mosquito breeding grounds are increasing. The consequence is not only a dwindling sense of safety but also a real loss in value for surrounding properties.

That is the starting point. The central question is: Why does the administration apparently make no progress? In many cases the answer lies in a legal and administrative no‑man's land: old tourist developments later resold without valid habitability certificates, unclear ownership structures and ongoing court proceedings create a space where neither the municipality nor private owners can take effective short‑term action.

Critical analysis: Instead of clear responsibilities this leads to blockades. The Santa Margalida municipality can report health hazards and initiate inspections, but forced evictions are bound by strict legal requirements. Owners, if they can be located, often shy away from the costs of restoration or formal regularization. At the same time housing shortages in parts of the island create pressure that can push people into these gaps. The result is a vicious circle: neglect encourages occupations, and occupations lead to further decay.

What is missing in the public discourse is sober clarity on three points: first, the exact ownership structure of the complex; second, a coordinated emergency plan between the Ayuntamiento, Policía Local, Guardia Civil, health authorities and social services; third, an honest debate about affordable housing as part of prevention. Too often the discussion remains at the level of blame instead of concrete responsibilities and timelines.

An everyday scene makes this tangible: on a winter evening residents sit on the benches along the promenade while loud music occasionally drifts from the direction of the complex. An elderly couple says they feel the police come only sporadically at night. A mother points to her rubbish bag, which has already been covered several times by discarded furniture. These impressions are what gradually weaken trust in public institutions.

Concrete solutions: Immediate measures should eliminate health risks — pumping out and covering the pools, regular pest control, orderly waste disposal and temporary securing of the buildings by the Ayuntamiento. In parallel, a staged legal approach is needed: check whether coercive measures are possible; if not, at least administrative fines against proven breaches of duty by owners.

Medium to long term there is a social policy component: cooperation between the municipality and the Consell to involve those affected — offers for temporary accommodation, mediation with occupants and social workers, prospects for regularization or orderly relocations. Economic incentives for owners to carry out necessary renovations are also important, combined with clear deadlines and controls.

Finally a practical proposal: a transparent register of problematic properties on the island, complemented by a hotline for residents, can untangle bureaucracy. A task force made up of administrative officials, police, the health authority and social workers could present a binding action plan within weeks — with clear steps and a timeline.

Pointed conclusion: Letting things slide for years is tacit acceptance of decay. Can Picafort does not need more declarations but coordinated action — quick, transparent and focused on the people who live here. Otherwise 'enough is enough' will soon become 'it's too late'.