When Farmhouses Become Private Palaces: Son Curt Between Conservation and Profit

When Farmhouses Become Private Palaces: Son Curt Between Conservation and Profit

Key Question

Who benefits from the transformation of a centuries-old estate into a high-end guesthouse — and what are the consequences for the neighborhood, landscape protection and the long-term identity of the Serra de Tramuntana World Heritage listing?

Critical Analysis

The facts are sparse: the Possessió Son Curt below the castle of Alaró sits on around 970,000 square meters, has three floors and a 19th-century garden. The ownership changed in 2022 for four million euros; today the value is said to be significantly higher. The Balearic regional government has approved the project: according to the plans, five high-priced guest rooms for a maximum of ten people will be created; the built-up area is not to be increased. At first glance a careful conversion. At second glance a blueprint for what is happening across the island: historic estates being transformed into exclusive luxury accommodations, accessible only to a small, paying clientele (for a similar case see the conversion in Camp d'en Serralta). Also relevant is debate around regulations such as the new agricultural law allowing up to ten overnight stays per farm, which intersects with proposals for small guest operations.

What's Missing in the Public Discourse

There is much talk about economic figures and permits (see the recent cases of two large possessions in Marratxí authorised to operate as agritourism businesses), but hardly any about consequences that are not immediately measurable in euros: access to cultural landscapes, the long-term preservation of old gardens, pressure on local infrastructure during peak seasons, and the question of social mix in places like Alaró where locals, residents and tourists live close together. Also rarely discussed: how privatized estates affect the water balance, especially in years with low rainfall.

An Everyday Scene from Alaró

On a morning on Carrer Major in Alaró: market stalls with cheese and olives, old men waiting for the latest village gossip over coffee, children walking home from school and, in the distance, the castle that draws hikers (see coverage of the expropriation of Alaró Castle). If Son Curt in future belongs to a closed luxury domicile, the picture shifts: less public space, more chauffeurs and delivery vans in the narrow streets, perhaps night-time comings and goings of staff. For many residents the concern is real: will the village become a stage for guests while the community bears the side costs?

Concrete Proposals That Could Help

1. Common-good clause in permits: Historic estates should be subject to conditions that guarantee public access to certain garden areas or events. 2. Cap on privately usable outdoor areas: Even if the built-up area remains the same, a binding plan is needed to ensure outdoor spaces remain natural and publicly accessible. 3. Transparency on water and energy needs: Prior disclosure and environmental assessments that concretely show how supply is secured in dry periods. 4. Levies on value increase: A municipal participation in value uplift can finance local projects (restoration of municipal property, parking, meeting places). 5. Limited business registration for staff accommodation: To prevent entirely new residential settlements for seasonal workers from developing near towns, rules should be established.

What Is Politically and Practically Possible

The regional government issues building permits, the municipality of Alaró must formulate local conditions; together a package could be put together that gives investors planning security while protecting the common good. Technically, solutions such as decentralized rainwater storage, solar installations and strict quiet hours are easy to implement. Legally, there are models that, for example, place the historic garden under heritage protection and thus safeguard public interests.

Pointed Conclusion

Son Curt is not an isolated case; the project is a sign of a development that is changing Mallorca. Luxury renovations bring money, but they can gradually hollow out landscape, neighborhood and accessibility. If politicians and citizens do not set clear rules at the outset — instead of reacting later — a historic estate may ultimately become nothing more than an expensively fenced photo spot. Those who want to prevent this must negotiate now: not only about returns, but about rights, obligations and a share of communal benefit.