The coast of Dénia is one of the greatest attractions of the Marina Alta: more than 20 km of beaches, natural coves and protected areas that make the city a privileged place to live or invest. However, this proximity to the sea also implies specific regulations: the Coastal Law.
The Coastal Law is the Spanish regulation that governs the use, protection and management of the Maritime-Terrestrial Public Domain (DPMT). Its objectives are to:
Conserve and protect the coastline.
Prevent improper constructions.
Guarantee public access to the sea.
Regulate what can and cannot be done in areas near the coast.
In Dénia, as throughout the Spanish coast, there are three regulated zones:
1. Maritime-Terrestrial Public Domain (DPMT)
Includes beaches, dunes, seashores and naturalized areas.
You cannot build or hold private property.
If there is an old building predating the Law, it may be under a concession regime, but it is never full private ownership.
2. Protection Easement
This is a strip that usually covers 100 meters inland from the DPMT. In some older cases it may be reduced to 20 meters.
In this zone constructions are allowed, but with restrictions on:
New constructions
Extensions
Volumes and heights
Commercial activities
Uses incompatible with coastal protection
3. Transit Easement
A 6-meter strip along the coast that guarantees public passage.
Access cannot be prevented.
No works that obstruct transit may be carried out.
Dénia has numerous homes close to the sea, especially in Las Marinas and Les Rotes, where these regulations are common.
Before buying, it is essential to:
Verify whether the property is within an easement.
Confirm whether the plot is affected by any limitation.
Check whether the property has valid authorizations or concessions.
Ensure there are no open proceedings by Coastal authorities.
Know what kind of works you will be able to carry out and which you will not.
Yes, you can, but with important nuances:
1. Mortgage on properties NOT directly affected by the DPMT
If the property is outside the Public Domain and only falls within the Protection Easement, banks usually grant a mortgage without problem, provided that:
The property is properly registered in the Land Registry.
There are no sanctioning proceedings or urban planning irregularities.
There are no serious limitations that affect the property's value.
2. Mortgage on properties with an administrative CONCESSION
If the property is in an area very close to the sea and there is a Coastal concession, then:
Yes, it can be mortgaged, but not all banks do so.
The bank analyses the concession's expiration date (for example, 30, 50 or 75 years).
The mortgage term can never exceed the concession term.
The appraisal value may be lower.
3. Mortgage on buildings within the DPMT
(Old properties, pre-Coastal Law)
They are not considered private property, but concessions.
There are institutions that simply do not mortgage these homes.
They can only be bought with cash or through private financing.
If you are thinking of buying near the sea in Dénia, our team can help you ensure that your investment is safe, legal and without surprises.