Torrox residents demand action over 'illegal' campervan settlements by the river

The continued presence of dozens of motorhomes at the mouth of the Torrox river on the eastern Costa del Sol in recent months has once again caused discontent among residents of the areas near the lighthouse.

They are complaining about dumping of waste, the use of the natural environment as a toilet and the lack of effective action by the authorities. Residents also claim that some vehicles remain parked for weeks in the riverbed, despite the restrictions established by local regulations.

One of those affected, Doug Fairchild, a property owner in the Punta del Faro residential area, has told SUR that "there are more than 50 caravans parked for long periods on the riverbed" and that "many do not have toilets, so they use the flora as a toilet". He added that even those that do have sanitary facilities "have to empty their tanks every few days and do so in the natural environment".

Fairchild is particularly critical of the failure of authorities to impose measures: "It's incredible that neither the Local Police nor the Guardia Civil do anything, when their cars pass through the area every few days," he told SUR, while calling on the council to adopt solutions to curb what he considers to be "abuse of the natural environment".

Local protests are nothing new: back in February 2022, residents living near the lighthouse warned of the presence of motorhomes on municipal land next to the riverbed, also reporting waste dumping and the use of the river as a public toilet. On that occasion, Torrox town hall highlighted that parking was only allowed for a maximum of 24 hours and that plainclothes Local Police patrols were in place to monitor possible breaches.

Municipal sources reiterated at the time that this was "a type of tourism that brings money into the municipality and should not be demonised," adding that other neighbouring municipalities, such as Vélez-Málaga and Nerja, apply more restrictive regulations, which drives some of these vehicles to Torrox.

The Local Police and Guardia Civil have insisted that surveillance is in place, although they acknowledge that when many vehicles gather in the same spot, it is "difficult" to prevent anti-social behaviour if there is no specific infrastructure in place.

The conflict comes following a boom in motorhome tourism following the pandemic, which has grown rapidly throughout the province. According to the national motorhome platform (PACA), around 1.5 million people use this type of vehicle in Spain every year and there are now more than 900 public areas set up by local councils across the country.

The president of PACA, Jesús Gallardo, has argued that motorhomes "are just another type of vehicle" and that the problem arises "when too many accumulate in the same area".

President of the Costa del Sol Campsite Owners' Association, Emilio Domingo, has warned that uncontrolled concentration generates problems of coexistence, especially in terms of waste management and the occupation of public space and has defended the role of campsites and authorised areas as a sustainable alternative.

Residents living near the River Torrox are now calling for more visible and effective measures including clear signage prohibiting access and parking, greater effective control and the diversion of these vehicles to designated areas. Residents believe that the current situation "harms the environment and the tourist image of the municipality", especially in such a sensitive and popular area.

Meanwhile, the debate once again raises the need for a supra-municipal strategy that reconciles the boom in this type of tourism with the protection of the natural environment and respect for local residents, a challenge that affects not only Torrox, but also much of the Axarquía and the Costa del Sol. In recent years, several specific areas for motorhome parking have been opened in Torrox.