Karataş Municipality issues new coastal construction permits despite prior court ruling

A legal dispute has emerged in the Karataş district of Adana after the Karataş Municipality issued new construction permits for a holiday site, despite a 2005 Council of State ruling that had previously invalidated such permits.

In 2003, the Adana 1st Administrative Court halted construction on two blocks within the site, a decision upheld by the Council of State in 2005. The court found that the buildings were located approximately 15 meters from the approved coastal edge, placing them within the protected first 50-meter coastal strip, which violated the Coastal Law.

Following the original ruling, residents utilized the area for a football field and playground. However, in 2025, the heirs of the original contractor applied for new permits, which the municipality granted. Residents, who claim the new construction has turned their recreational areas into a construction site, have filed a lawsuit to stop the work. A court has issued a temporary stay on the construction while the legal proceedings continue.