Sunrise Bay Residences near Cala Romàntica: From Ghost Village to Sales Brochure – Profit Before Water?

From sleeping beauty to sales brochure – but at what price?

In the morning the gravel crunches under the construction lorries, seagulls cry above the coast, and in the small bar on Manacor's market square the owner brings out extra cups for the construction workers. This is what the revival of a half-finished project near the Cala Romàntica looks like: 159 holiday homes on around 62,000 square metres, now marketed as Sunrise Bay Residences. Prices between approx. €380,000 and €781,000, first keys are to be handed over in early 2026 — and 66 units are already reserved. The central question remains: Is Mallorca here putting profit above water and the neighbourhood? Local approvals have precedent: 77 houses approved near Cala Romàntica.

History and current demand – a deal with downsides

What today appears as a lucrative offer was for a long time a reminder of the property bubble: since 2008 the project lay idle, with partly finished houses, rusting construction fences and wild weeds growing between concrete slabs. Now Ibero Capital and a British partner have restarted the machines — driven by rising rents linked to short-term rentals (study) and foreign demand. That brings money and jobs, but it also raises many unanswered questions: Who uses the scarce water? Who pays for the increased traffic and infrastructure? And what happens if return expectations fall? Similar overbuilding conflicts are described in Dream cove amid construction noise: s'Estany d'en Mas.

Why water becomes the sticking point here

The site lies near a small stream and in an area that experiences dry summer periods. Authorities have reviewed how interventions affect flora and the water balance — formally that has been met, but practical implementation remains open. On Mallorca water is no longer an abstract issue: audible drips in dry summers, the smell of dusty earth after rain, neighbours sharing wells. Additional holiday homes mean higher consumption, more intensive garden care, pool fillings and greater strain on sewage systems during peak months.

What is often overlooked: the infrastructure bill

Planners point out that land-use decisions from the 1970s allow for this volume. A reversal would be expensive — that is clear. Less considered, however, is how the resumed work will impact the long term: road wear, parking pressure in shoulder seasons, waste disposal and the operation of treatment plants. The café owner says more workers have breakfast there in the mornings, but in the evenings the narrow surrounding streets are more often clogged. It is the small, recurring burdens that noticeably change quality of life.

Ecological and social fault lines

Ecologists speak of habitat fragmentation, especially if construction affects the stream course. Socially a field of tension arises: foreign ownership, holiday rentals and seasonal occupancy can further inflate local rental prices. The reservations, mostly made by foreigners, show a model increasingly focused on yield rental — which can be problematic for locals and year-round neighbours.

Whole concepts instead of isolated projects: concrete solutions

It is not enough to refer to building regulations. For a project like Sunrise Bay to be viable in the long term, clear conditions and practical measures are needed:
- Water management: Mandatory rainwater harvesting (FAO guidance), greywater recycling and water reuse (EU guidance) and capped pool filling volumes, coupled with controls.
- Infrastructure contributions: A fund from construction proceeds to upgrade local roads, expand bus connections and increase waste capacity.
- Use control: Limited number of short-term holiday rentals per year, transparently registered and locally priced to reduce housing pressure.
- Ecological compensation areas: Planting strips, stream renaturation and mandatory buffer zones against erosion.
- Community participation: A citizens' advisory board to accompany construction phases and ensure transparency.

An outlook with an honest accounting

When, in the evening, you let your gaze sweep over Cala Romàntica with the chirping of crickets in the background and the distant drone of ferry engines, one thing becomes clear: Mallorca is not an unlimited plot for profit. The revival of old building sites can bring opportunities — jobs, local demand and an end to aesthetic decay. But it can also create long-term costs that are not borne by the investor alone. The art now would be to steer the project so that the beaches are not only for short-term profits, but also for a liveable Mallorca tomorrow.

Key question: Is Sunrise Bay aiming for quick profit, or can a model be developed here that equally protects water, nature and the neighbourhood?