The Marbella Activa association has warned of the need to protect the archaeological remains located at the mouth of the Río Real, where the town hall is currently carrying out work for a new section of the coastal path.

The group has informed the Andalusian regional government and the local administration that the clearing work carried out on the seafront to the south of the Río Real Playa residential development, some 200 metres long, is where the Phoenician site of Río Real is located.

According to the association, on initial inspection you can see that stones and ceramic remains that appear to correspond to the same historic period of the site have been disturbed.

The work was carried out by machinery, so the group has sent a note to both the town hall and the Culture department of the Junta to ask if it was carried out under archaeological supervision, as the area is included within the boundaries of the site, as well as in the protection area of the no longer valid PGOU approved in 2010. The area is also falls within the protected zone around the Río Real tower, designated by the Junta as a BIC (an asset of cultural interest).

The town hall maintains that the clearing work carried out was only at the surface level and therefore didn't require archaeological supervision, unlike those that will begin soon, on 2 November, which will have an archaeologist on the scene.

According to the councillor for Public Works, Diego López, the work carried out has not affected the BIC, which occupies some six square metres and on which no action has been taken.