Gibraltar land reclamation investigation awaits Cádiz court decision

A judicial investigation into land reclamation projects in Gibraltar is currently pending a decision from the Provincial Court of Cádiz. The case concerns the Eastside Project, a luxury real estate development promoted by the Vietnamese multinational TNG Global, which involves reclaiming land from the sea on the eastern side of the Rock.

The Algeciras Environmental Prosecutor's Office has appealed a provisional dismissal of the case issued by the Court of First Instance and Instruction No. 2 of La Línea de la Concepción. The prosecution argues that the reclamation occurs in waters considered to be under Spanish jurisdiction and within a protected marine area.

Complications have arisen regarding the legal process. The court recently admitted to a “personal and computer error” after realizing a crucial paragraph explaining the legal reasoning for the initial dismissal had been omitted from the January resolution. While the court maintains this was a simple error, the environmental group Verdemar Ecologistas en Acción has challenged the validity of adding legal foundations after a resolution was already notified and appealed.

Furthermore, investigations have faced physical limitations. The Civil Guard's Nature Protection Service (Seprona) reported an inability to conduct a full environmental damage assessment because Gibraltar authorities did not permit inspections of the maritime zone where the works are being executed.