Costa del Sol Promise Tracker

Headlines make Costa del Sol projects, rule changes and development announcements sound simple. This tracker follows what was promised, what has actually happened and which claims are still too early to plan around.

The Costa del Sol Promise Tracker is WaypointSur’s running record of public commitments that matter to residents. It is not a scorecard for one party or one authority. It is a practical way to separate a useful planning signal from a headline that still has to survive funding, permits, works, court challenges and operational follow-through.

Last updated: 28 August 2026. Scope: Costa del Sol infrastructure, regulation and economic-development commitments with direct resident impact.

How the Costa del Sol Promise Tracker Works

The important question is not whether an authority, company or institution said something would happen. The question is whether the delivery mechanism is visible enough that residents should plan around it.

Each entry includes a First dated reference field. This is the earliest dated marker in the current tracker package, such as an announcement, law, tender, construction start, opening window or failure marker. It is not always the first press mention ever published.

Where an entry includes a Source trail, the links are there to show how the public record developed. Announcement coverage can make a project sound closer than it is; current-reality links show the later milestone, delay, legal text, official page or failure marker that residents should use for planning.

Court challenge tracking is being expanded. Some promises do not fail because the announcement was false. They become harder to rely on because courts change the legal path after launch. The Madrid ZBE ruling is the first active test case being folded into the tracker so future updates can show court-challenge trajectories more clearly.

• ✅ Delivered arrived as promised, or late but now operational.
• 🔵 In progress funding, works, tendering or formal implementation is active.
• 🟡 Stalled a promise exists, but visible progress or public confirmation has slipped.
• 🔴 Missed a stated date passed without delivery.
• ⚪ Announced commitment made, but no strong delivery mechanism yet.
• ❌ Cancelled the original project or promise has been abandoned or reset.

Spanish terms used below: autonomo means self-employed worker, VUT means vivienda de uso turistico or tourist-use dwelling, ZBE means zona de bajas emisiones or low-emission zone, and TIE means tarjeta de identidad de extranjero or foreigner identity card.

The Pattern Behind the Tracker

The strongest pattern is that commitments backed by EU rules, legally durable legislation or signed construction contracts behave differently from commitments that are still political, promotional, study-led or vulnerable to court challenge. Residents should treat a feasibility study, design tender or mayoral endorsement as an early signal, not as a delivery date.

Four operating lessons show up repeatedly. First, EU-mandated systems such as EES, the national short-term rental registry and healthcare-access standardisation tend to arrive more reliably than locally volunteered projects. Second, December and August are common moments for quiet delay, because public attention is weaker. Third, an opening ceremony can precede normal service by months. Fourth, a feasibility study often means the next study has started, not that construction is close.

Use this page alongside deeper WaypointSur guides on public transport in Malaga and the Costa del Sol, Malaga airport transfers, short-term rental regulations by housing type, VeriFactu Spain and business networking on the Costa del Sol.

Infrastructure Commitments

Infrastructure commitments are the hardest to read because the visible promise is often several steps away from resident benefit. A line can be tendered, partially reopened or ceremonially launched while capacity, frequency or journey reliability remains below what residents were told to expect.

Rail

AVE Madrid–Málaga: Álora Landslide Restoration

✅ Delivered — after six missed targets

What was promised

Full double-track restoration after Feb 4 2026 landslide blocked the Álora section

By whom

ADIF / Ministry of Transport

First dated reference

4 February 2026, when the Álora landslide created the restoration commitment.

Promised timing

Multiple targets set — Feb 2, Feb 8, Feb 16, Mar 23 all missed; partial single-track April 30 2026; full double-track end 2026

Reality

Delivered. The second track through Álora reopened on 17 July 2026, fully restoring the Madrid–Málaga line, and Renfe added 8 weekly trains from the same date. The delivery came 12 days after Adif had publicly declined to give any date (5 July), and roughly five months ahead of the last end-2026 framing — after six earlier targets (Feb 2, Feb 8, Feb 16, Mar 23, June, end-2026) had come and gone. Single track had been the operating mode since the partial restoration of April 30 2026, running ~20 minutes slower. Pre-crisis capacity and journey times return from 17 July.

Last checked

2026-07-17

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: landslide delays recovery of the Malaga-Madrid high-speed line
• Current reality: Andalucía Información: Adif restores the double track on 17 July after repairing the Álora damage
• Partial restoration context: SUR: high-speed trains return after months of closures

Cercanías C2 Álora Section

🔵 In progress — running, disruption-prone

What was promised

Restoration of C2 service disrupted by the same Feb 4 2026 landslide

By whom

ADIF / Renfe

First dated reference

4 February 2026, when the same landslide disrupted the C2 section.

Promised timing

No date given

Reality

The C2 Málaga–Álora service is running again, but fragile: Adif improvement works forced a partial suspension between Cártama and Álora from 22 May to 8 June 2026, and a signalling fault at Aljaima on 15 June caused another temporary halt, since repaired. Guadalhorce valley commuters should expect further short-notice disruption while the Álora corridor works continue through the summer.

Last checked

2026-07-03

Tren Litoral (Nerja–Algeciras coastal rail)

🔵 In progress (study phase)

What was promised

€992K feasibility study for 195km coastal rail connecting Nerja, Málaga, Marbella, Estepona, and Algeciras

By whom

Ministry of Transport

First dated reference

May 2025, when the current feasibility study was contracted.

Promised timing

Study results were promised for late 2026; delivery has now been extended to April 2027. Construction realistically 2040s

Reality

This is at least the fifth feasibility study in 25 years. The current €992K study was contracted May 2025. In August 2026 the ministry granted a four-month extension, moving the study’s delivery from November 2026 to 2 April 2027, with a five-section Nerja–Algeciras structure confirmed. Full project cost: €6.7 billion. Construction start: 2040s at earliest. Cataluña’s Rodalies network received €8 billion in committed capital over the same period.

Last checked

2026-08-28

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: government deadlines and route-study framing for the coastal train
• Current reality: SUR: feasibility-study contract awarded, not a construction start

Cercanías C1 2027 Track Upgrade

⚪ Announced

What was promised

5.5-month closure of the Málaga–Fuengirola line for track doubling and station improvements

By whom

ADIF / Ministry of Transport

First dated reference

September 2025, when the 2027 C1 closure and upgrade were announced.

Promised timing

Closure Q4 2027 – Q1 2028; reopening with 60% capacity increase and 15-min frequency

Reality

Announced September 2025. Works not yet started. March 2026 reporting suggests partial doubling may not deliver increased train frequency as promised.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Aviation

Málaga Airport DORA III Expansion

⚪ Announced

What was promised

€1.5B terminal expansion doubling size (80,000→140,000m²); 36M passenger capacity by 2031

By whom

AENA

First dated reference

September 2025, when the design tender closed in the current DORA III expansion trail.

Promised timing

DORA III regulatory approval September 2026; construction 2027; completion 2031

Reality

Design tender closed September 2025. DORA III regulatory framework not yet approved. First four months of 2026 already hit a record 7.7M passengers — the existing terminal is being overtaken by demand before construction has started.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: Aena initial expansion plans and DORA III timeline
• Current reality: SUR: project-management tender step for the airport expansion

eVTOL Air Taxi Málaga–Marbella

🔵 In progress — new EU-funded project

What was promised

15-minute electric air taxi service between Málaga airport and Marbella; commercial service from 2030; demo flights H2 2025 (original AENA/Lilium framing)

By whom

AENA / Enaire (Verti-Go consortium, successor to the Lilium-era OperA project)

First dated reference

Before October 2024, when Lilium’s insolvency became the first clear failure marker in the original source trail.

Promised timing

Demo flights H2 2025 (missed, Lilium-era); commercial 2030 (original); Verti-Go now targets Málaga–Marbella demonstration flights in 2028

Reality

Lilium filed for insolvency October 2024 and the original demo flights did not happen. The route has since resurfaced under a different vehicle: Verti-Go, an EU-funded advanced air mobility integration project (June 2026–May 2029, €6.77M budget, ~€5M EU funding) with a 12-partner consortium including Aena, Enaire, Eurocontrol, CRIDA, Vertical Aerospace and lead partner Honeywell Aerospace, announced July 2026. It targets Málaga–Marbella eVTOL demonstration flights in 2028 (projected ~15 minutes versus ~40 minutes by road). This is a funded, named successor project, not the same effort as the failed Lilium partnership — residents should treat 2028 as a demonstration-flight target, not a confirmed commercial service date.

Last checked

2026-09-04

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: original air-taxi promise framed around Malaga airport to Marbella trips
• Current reality: Unmanned Airspace: Enaire joins the Verti-Go project, quoting the EU consortium directly

Construction & Utilities

Málaga Metro Line 2 — Hospital Civil Extension

🔵 In progress

What was promised

1.8km underground extension with 3 new stations; EIB €150M loan

By whom

Junta de Andalucía

First dated reference

May 2024, when construction began.

Promised timing

Opening ~2027

Reality

Under construction since May 2024; EIB loan signed March 2025. All three sections are in execution, but the 2027 date no longer adds up. The final 510m section (Eugenio Gross–Blas de Lezo) was signed in May 2026 for €48.2M on a 36-month clock and began execution in July 2026 with survey and geotechnical work only, heavy machinery still pending in August. Section 1 struck the largest Roman necropolis in Málaga’s history (~700 tombs), forcing a reprogramming ordered by the Consejería de Cultura in December 2025 and a second contract modification in May 2026. Section 2 stands at roughly 17%. No official new opening date has been given; the contract arithmetic points to 2029. A metro stop at the new Hospital Virgen de la Esperanza remains committed.

Last checked

2026-08-21

AP-7 Tunnel Renovation (20 tunnels, Málaga–Guadiaro)

🔵 In progress

What was promised

€42.6M upgrade of 20 tunnels for safety, lighting, fire detection; concurrent with anti-noise works near Marbella

By whom

Ministry of Transport

First dated reference

By May 2026 in the current source trail; the original announcement date is not captured in this tracker package.

Promised timing

Completion mid-2027

Reality

Works underway. Night lane closures and disruption ongoing through June 2026 for the anti-noise phase. On track.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: central-government allocation for AP-7 tunnel modernisation
• Current reality: SUR: AP-7 safety-standard works and tunnel-upgrade context

Málaga Port Cruise Terminal Expansion

🔵 In progress

What was promised

New terminal (1,270m²), Heredia Quay refurbishment, onshore power supply; EIB €50M loan

By whom

Port Authority of Málaga

First dated reference

2025, when the EIB loan was signed and the current expansion trail became concrete.

Promised timing

Completion 2027

Reality

EIB loan signed 2025. Construction underway. On track for 2027.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Hospital Virgen de la Esperanza (new Málaga hospital)

🔵 In progress

What was promised

€543M hospital on Hospital Civil grounds; 815 rooms, 48 operating theatres; Andalucía’s largest hospital

By whom

Junta de Andalucía

First dated reference

2 February 2026, when groundbreaking was delivered.

Promised timing

Groundbreaking February 2026 (delivered); completion ~2032

Reality

Groundbreaking delivered February 2 2026. Construction started. 75-month build puts completion around 2032.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: first stone laid for Hospital Virgen de la Esperanza
• Current reality: SUR: work under way, but delivery remains a construction timeline

Hospital Costa del Sol Marbella — New Wing

✅ Delivered (11 years late)

What was promised

€100M+ expansion, 40,000m² additional space, 16 operating theatres, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine

By whom

Junta de Andalucía

First dated reference

2007, when the expansion was first announced.

Promised timing

Original 2023; delayed to October 2025; finally delivered March 3 2026

Reality

Delivered March 3 2026 — approximately 11 years after original planning. The expansion was first announced in 2007, reactivated in 2021, then delayed again to 2025 before the final March 2026 delivery.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: Hospital Costa del Sol extension at 95% and outpatient move
• Current reality: SUR: partial operational use before full normal-service reading

Axarquía Desalination Plant

🔵 In progress

What was promised

25 hm³/year desalination plant (expandable to 50 hm³); €100M; to address Axarquía water stress

By whom

ACUAMED / Central Government

First dated reference

March 2025, when the engineering review contract was awarded.

Promised timing

Engineering review complete late 2026; inauguration not before 2029

Reality

Engineering review contract awarded March 2025 (18-month duration). Full project tender not yet launched. Earliest inauguration: 2029.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Water & Desalination

Drought emergency framework — Andalusian Mediterranean basins

✅ Delivered

What was promised

An end to the exceptional-drought regime and its restrictions once hydrology recovered.

By whom

Junta de Andalucía (Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca, Agua y Desarrollo Rural)

First dated reference

Exceptional-drought scenario in force since 2022–23; peak restrictions from February 2024.

Promised timing

No fixed date; tied to reservoir and indicator thresholds.

Reality

Orden of 10 April 2026 (BOJA nº 77, 23 April) declared the finalización de la situación de sequía across the demarcation, returning the Guadalhorce-Limonero, Viñuela-Axarquía and Costa del Sol Occidental units to normalidad hidrológica and deactivating the extraordinary framework (per-capita caps, irrigation bans, pool and non-essential-use prohibitions). Málaga province stood at 523 hm³ / 84.9% on 10 August 2026 against 330 hm³ / 53.6% the same week in 2025, with a ten-year average of 289 hm³; La Viñuela at 88% against a low of 12.2 hm³ in January 2024. Context worth keeping: this is the best August since 2013, not a record — six of seven provincial reservoirs sit below their August highs. "Normalidad" is a rung on a reversible ladder, not a permanent status; crossing the indicator thresholds again triggers a new order. Separately, four Antequera-area towns (Alameda, Humilladero, Fuente de Piedra, Mollina) restricted irrigation and pool filling by joint bando on 21 May 2026 on aquifer levels, which recharge over years rather than seasons.

Last checked

2026-08-13

Marbella desalination plant — capacity restoration

✅ Delivered

What was promised

Restore the plant to its full 20 hm³/year nominal output.

By whom

Junta de Andalucía (works) on State-owned infrastructure, operated by Acosol

First dated reference

First emergency phase contracted September 2024 (two contracts, ~€7.35M).

Promised timing

During the drought emergency.

Reality

Inaugurated 8 July 2025, restoring nominal capacity of 20 hm³/year, roughly €15M across two phases. Read the detail: the plant was built in the late 1990s to produce exactly that figure and had degraded to about 6 hm³/year, so this is recovery of designed capacity rather than new capacity. Junta puts it at 15–20% of Costa del Sol Occidental demand. Note that the widely-quoted €8M figure covers phase two only.

Last checked

2026-08-13

Bajo Guadalhorce wellfield (Málaga city)

✅ Delivered

What was promised

Rehabilitate six municipal wells plus a 1,000mm conduit to the El Atabal treatment plant, to reduce reservoir dependence.

By whom

Junta de Andalucía (funding and works), operated by Emasa

First dated reference

Works declared finished at the Consejo de Gobierno session of 16 July 2025; investment €15.7M.

Promised timing

In service for the 2026 season.

Reality

Put into service jointly by the Junta and Ayuntamiento de Málaga on 24 March 2026. Málaga city’s reservoir abstraction fell from 58.4 hm³ in 2023 to 39.1 hm³ in 2024, a 33% cut, though Emasa attributes that to the Fahala and Aljaima wells active since June 2023 rather than to these newer sites. Framing correction worth carrying: the Junta presents the new wells as a drought and emergency reserve, not a standing third of daily supply. Combined programme including Aljaima and Fahala exceeds €21.5M.

Last checked

2026-08-13

N-340 Benalmádena–Torremolinos water main (Autovía del Agua, phase 1)

🔵 In progress — behind

What was promised

Roughly 6km of new 800mm ductile-iron main plus ~2.3km of secondary network along the old N-340 corridor.

By whom

Acosol, in co-financing with the Junta de Andalucía; contractor UTE CHM Infraestructuras–Albaida Construcciones

First dated reference

Declared a matter of general interest by the Mancomunidad assembly on 27 June 2025, after repeated bursts.

Promised timing

Eight-month execution term from a December 2025 start, which puts the earliest finish in August 2026.

Reality

Budget is €13,668,764.98. Works began December 2025 in Benalmádena and February 2026 in Torremolinos, reached 20% in March, passed 50% on 1 June, and the project page still read obras en ejecución on 13 August 2026. Documented pre-works failures on this main: July 2024 (calle Medina Azahara) and May 2025 (Hotel Los Patos), the latter followed by an 80m emergency replacement in July 2025. WaypointSur correction: our 2 December 2025 issue gave the cost as €7.6M, named Sánchez Domínguez-Sando as contractor, and stated a March 2026 finish. The budget and contractor were wrong, and the March date was never reachable against an eight-month term.

Last checked

2026-08-13

Axarquía / Vélez-Málaga desalination plant

⚪ Announced — 3 years, still paper

What was promised

A desalination plant of 25 hm³/year, expandable to 50, for the Axarquía.

By whom

Central government (MITECO / Acuamed), with the users’ Mancomunidad and irrigator boards promoting

First dated reference

MITECO and Acuamed work confirmed 11 March 2023; ~€100M committed and general State interest declared May 2023.

Promised timing

Promoter Jorge Martín, 23 February 2026: "en cinco años esto estará listo", i.e. ~2031.

Reality

Still paper. The anteproyecto was drafted by the water users rather than the State and handed to the ministry on 23 February 2026 at €201,582,629 with a 30-month execution period. The only State contract signed to date is Acuamed’s supervision award of 7 March 2025 to TPF Getinsa Euroestudios, €66,300 plus VAT. So roughly €66,000 has actually been spent against a €201.6M headline, three years in. The definitive project and works tender is projected for end-2026 with nothing yet launched. Cost has doubled from ~€100M in 2023, and the financing is a loan repaid by users, not a grant. A separately promoted private plant has also gone nowhere since 2023.

Last checked

2026-08-13

Mijas–Fuengirola desalination plant (Desaladora de la Costa del Sol)

🔴 Missed — 18 years

What was promised

A desalination plant serving the western Costa del Sol.

By whom

Acuamed (central government)

First dated reference

Planned from 2006; environmental impact assessment January 2008.

Promised timing

Works awarded July 2008 for €61.7M.

Reality

The works were awarded, not merely announced, and the plant was never built. In 2026 the question returned to the drawing board: Acosol formalised a 24-month anteproyecto contract with Ayesa on 14 June 2026 (€710,594, €859,819 including tax) for a proposed western Costa plant of undefined capacity, whose scope formally includes a "no desalination" alternative. Eighteen years from signed contract to reconsidering whether to build at all.

Last checked

2026-08-13

ETAP Río Verde expansion (Marbella)

🟡 Stalled — 22 years

What was promised

Double drinking-water treatment capacity to 4.6 m³/s, serving 11 municipalities from Manilva to Torremolinos.

By whom

Junta de Andalucía

First dated reference

Committed 2004.

Promised timing

Awarded 2008; re-tendered with a five-phase execution plan.

Reality

Works were awarded in 2008 and begun, then suspended in 2012 and the contract liquidated in 2016. Re-tendered in December 2024 / January 2025 at €37.1M (around €39M including licensing), sized for a future served population of up to 1.76 million. Still in adjudication during 2026, roughly two decades after first proposal. Not delivered.

Last checked

2026-08-13

Ramal Este trunk main renewal (Marbella to Torremolinos)

⚪ Announced — design stage only

What was promised

Renewal of the ageing eastern trunk main carrying water from Marbella to Mijas, Fuengirola, Benalmádena and Torremolinos.

By whom

Acosol

First dated reference

Tender published 4 August 2026, reported 5 August 2026 by El Español from the technical pliego.

Promised timing

Bids on the design contract close 18 September 2026. Construction has no published date.

Reality

The older of the Ramal Este’s two parallel mains, the Tubería Primera, dates mostly from the early 1970s, runs about 48km and contains over 16km of Rocla pipe plus several kilometres of asbestos cement. Enough of it is out of service that the Ramal Este now runs effectively on a single main, without designed redundancy. Acosol’s own tender documents describe a rupture at peak summer as capable of cutting or severely reducing supply to around 900,000 people across five municipalities. What has actually been tendered is €1,842,258.05 for design drafting and works supervision on phase 1 only (11.8km between the Albarizas and Artola derivations, all inside Marbella, in three lots). Construction itself is neither tendered, costed publicly, nor scheduled. Sits within a wider €14.5M tender package and a €175M EIB-financed investment plan. No rupture occurred on this line in 2025 or 2026; documented bursts are older (August 2022 Arroyo de la Miel, February 2024 El Chaparral, December 2024 Fuengirola).

Last checked

2026-08-13

Regulatory Commitments

Regulatory commitments often deliver more cleanly than concrete-heavy projects, but the resident impact can still be messy. A law may start on time while portals, agencies, platforms, drivers, landlords or town halls take months to settle into a workable version.

Immigration

Regularización Extraordinaria (500,000 workers)

✅ Delivered — window closed June 30

What was promised

Mass regularisation of undocumented workers; 1-year residence and work permit; minor children receive 5-year permits

By whom

Spanish Government

First dated reference

16 April 2026, when the regularisation window opened.

Promised timing

Window April 16 – June 30, 2026

Reality

Window closed 30 June 2026, non-extendable under RD 316/2026 — no second round. Final balance (Moncloa, 2 July): 1,174,978 applications, 79.6% through the arraigo extraordinario track; 609,737 (52%) already in processing; roughly 11,000 favourable resolutions notified; 159,097 new Social Security affiliations by close. Negative silence (no answer within three months) counts as a denial, and extranjería offices in high-volume provinces are warning of processing strain. The story now is the resolution backlog, not the window.

Last checked

2026-07-03

ETIAS (European Travel Authorisation)

⚪ Announced

What was promised

Pre-authorisation system (€20 fee) for non-EU/EEA visitors entering Schengen; multiple prior delays

By whom

European Commission

First dated reference

2022, the first missed launch target in the current tracker history.

Promised timing

Q4 2026 launch; mandatory April 2027

Reality

ETIAS currently has no official launch date at all. Around 20 July 2026 the EU’s official travel site removed the “last quarter of 2026” launch line, after eu-LISA reported that date was no longer feasible; a revised timeline is expected after the eu-LISA management board meets in September 2026, with 2027 the mainstream expectation. On 11 August 2026 the postponement became formal: the EU announced ETIAS is delayed indefinitely, with no replacement date, citing technical and integration problems in the digital border programme. This was at minimum the fourth stated timeline: previous targets in 2022, 2023, and 2024 all missed. Contingent on EES being fully operational, which only happened in April 2026.

Last checked

2026-08-14

Spain Golden Visa Abolition

✅ Delivered on date

What was promised

End of real-estate-based residency programme for non-EU buyers; Organic Law 1/2025

By whom

Spanish Government

First dated reference

3 April 2025, when the abolition took effect under Organic Law 1/2025.

Promised timing

April 3 2025

Reality

Programme closed April 3 2025 as announced. Existing applications before the deadline were protected. One of the cleaner delivery examples in recent memory.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: Spain golden visa abolition timing
• Current reality: BOE: legal abolition framework for investor-residence pathway

Housing & Short-Term Rentals

Málaga VUT Moratorium (3-year freeze on new licences)

✅ Delivered — active, with exceptions emerging

What was promised

3-year freeze on new tourist rental registrations in 43 Málaga neighbourhoods exceeding 8% saturation

By whom

Málaga Ayuntamiento

First dated reference

14 January 2025, when the freeze took effect.

Promised timing

Effective January 14 2025 through approximately August 2028

Reality

Delivered January 14 2025, though May 2026 reporting showed roughly 100 new tourist apartments approved through the cambio de uso (change of use) loophole, with a Plan Especial under development to close gaps. On 1 July 2026 the city council went further and approved a three-year ban on new tourist apartments, aparthotels, hotels, hostels and guesthouses across all residential zones, effective days after appearing in the official gazette; projects with pre-existing applications are exempt, and the advance notice is expected to trigger a rush of applications before it takes force.

Last checked

2026-07-03

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: proposed Malaga tourist-flat restrictions in saturated districts
• Current reality: SUR: ban in force across 43 Malaga city areas

National Short-Term Rental Registry (NRU)

❌ Annulled by court

What was promised

Mandatory Unique STR Registry under Royal Decree 1312/2024; platforms to remove unregistered listings within 48 hours

By whom

Spanish Government

First dated reference

2 January 2025, when the registry opened under Royal Decree 1312/2024.

Promised timing

Registry open January 2 2025; mandatory enforcement July 1 2025

Reality

Annulled. The Tribunal Supremo (sentencia 620/2026, May 2026) struck down the national Registro Único de Arrendamientos, ruling the state lacked competence to create a national registry overlapping the existing regional ones. What survives: the digital single window and the platform data-transmission and statistical obligations. So Costa holiday-let owners still face data duties, but the mandatory national registry number itself is gone.

Last checked

2026-06-19

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: national tourist-rental registry compliance explainer
• Current reality: idealista: Tribunal Supremo annuls the single short-term-rental registry

Non-EU Buyer 100% Property Surcharge

🟡 Stalled

What was promised

100% tax surcharge on property purchases by non-EU buyers; announced by President Sánchez

By whom

Spanish Government / PSOE

First dated reference

January 2025, when President Sánchez publicly proposed the surcharge.

Promised timing

No parliamentary date set

Reality

Still a proposal as of May 2026. Faces constitutional challenges and European Commission proceedings. No parliamentary committee vote scheduled. No implementing legislation drafted.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Marbella PGOM (new urban plan)

🔵 In progress

What was promised

First new General Municipal Ordinance Plan in 40 years; replacement for the 1986 PGOU under the LISTA framework

By whom

Junta de Andalucía / Marbella Town Hall

First dated reference

22 February 2026, when the Junta approval milestone was reached in the current source trail.

Promised timing

Junta approval February 22 2026 (delivered); full ratification 2026-2028

Reality

Junta formally approved February 22 2026 — a major milestone. The extraordinary plenary for provisional approval is confirmed for 29 July 2026, with a press conference on 17 July and the plan documents on public display at the Palacio de Congresos into early September. Definitive Junta approval still follows, and property-level rules wait for the detailed plan (POU) through 2027-2028.

Last checked

2026-07-03

Tax & Business

VeriFactu Digital Invoicing (real-time verification)

🔴 Missed — 12-18 months delayed

What was promised

Real-time digital invoicing system for all businesses and autónomos to combat tax fraud

By whom

AEAT / Government

First dated reference

1 January 2026, the original implementation deadline later missed.

Promised timing

Original January 1 2026; pushed via RDL 15/2025 signed December 23 2025 to January 2027 (companies) and July 2027 (autónomos)

Reality

Missed the January 1 2026 deadline. The deferral Royal Decree was signed on December 23 2025 — three business days before the original implementation date. Companies now face January 2027; autónomos July 2027.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: original VeriFactu timing for self-employed workers
• Current reality: SUR: Treasury delay pushes mandatory timing back

Environment & Traffic

Málaga ZBE Phase 1

✅ Delivered — annulled by TSJA, under appeal

What was promised

437-hectare low-emission zone in Málaga city centre; 97 cameras; non-Málaga vehicles without DGT label banned; €200 fines

By whom

Málaga City Council

First dated reference

30 November 2025, when Phase 1 was delivered and enforcement began.

Promised timing

November 30 2025

Reality

Delivered 30 November 2025 and enforcing. However, a TSJA ruling of 11 June 2026 annulled the ordinance as discriminatory (padrón-based exemptions). The ruling is not firm; the council keeps the zone in force while weighing a casación appeal, and around 35,000 €200 fines could become reclaimable if the annulment stands. Phase 2 (B-label non-residents, November 2026) is now legally doubtful.

Last checked

2026-07-03

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: Malaga ZBE restrictions and 30 November start framing
• Current reality: SUR: later reporting on operational scope and foreign-plate gap

Málaga ZBE Phase 2 — B-Label Non-Residents

🟡 At risk — annulled by TSJA; appeal decision expected from September

What was promised

Extension of ZBE restrictions to B-label (yellow sticker) vehicles not registered in Málaga

By whom

Málaga City Council

First dated reference

30 November 2025, when Phase 2 appeared in the same rollout path as Phase 1.

Promised timing

November 2026

Reality

A ruling of the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Andalucía dated 11 June 2026 annulled Málaga’s ZBE ordinance, finding the padrón/domicile-based exemption system discriminatory under Tribunal Supremo doctrine. The ruling is not yet firm: the city council is keeping the ordinance in force and, according to specialist motoring press reporting in August 2026, has requested a clarification (aclaración) from the court — a procedural step that pauses the deadline for lodging a casación appeal to the Supreme Court. Because August is a non-working month in the Spanish courts, the court’s answer is expected from September 2026; if an appeal is then filed, a final Supreme Court ruling could take six to twelve months. Phase 2 (B-label vehicles not registered in Málaga, stated for 30 November 2026) is built on exactly the exemption logic the court struck down, so treat the November date as legally doubtful. More than 35,000 fines of €200 had been issued through June 2026; they could become reclaimable if the annulment becomes final. Enforcement continues while the appeal question runs — do not treat the zone as void.

Last checked

2026-08-14

V16 Connected Beacon — Mandatory

✅ Delivered — with last-minute chaos

What was promised

V16 emergency beacon (replaces warning triangles) mandatory from January 1 2026; must transmit location to DGT 3.0

By whom

DGT

First dated reference

29 December 2025, when the approved-device list changed three days before the mandate.

Promised timing

January 1 2026

Reality

Delivered January 1 2026. However, the DGT changed the approved beacon list on December 29 2025 — three days before the mandatory date — invalidating beacons that drivers had purchased in good faith. Many drivers were caught with non-compliant devices they had bought weeks earlier.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Border & Travel

EU Entry/Exit System (EES)

✅ Delivered — four missed deadlines across four years

What was promised

Biometric border registration replacing passport stamping for non-EU travelers at Schengen borders

By whom

European Commission

First dated reference

October 2022, the original launch target later missed.

Promised timing

Original October 2022 (missed); November 2023 (missed); October 2024 (missed); April 10 2026 (delivered)

Reality

Launched April 10 2026. Costa del Sol residents holding a TIE are exempt. AGP handling it with 10–20 minute average waits. The four prior deadlines missed over four years created widespread misreporting about a “September 2026 postponement” that never existed — what media reported as a delay was actually a built-in per-airport flexibility mechanism.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: EES gradual-introduction framing and TIE warning
• Current reality: EU: official Entry/Exit System information

Healthcare

Real Decreto 180/2026 — Universal Public Healthcare

✅ Delivered on date

What was promised

Universal healthcare access based on residency regardless of legal status; standardises rules across autonomous communities

By whom

Spanish Government

First dated reference

13 March 2026, when Real Decreto 180/2026 was delivered.

Promised timing

March 13 2026

Reality

Delivered March 13 2026. People without formal residency can apply via responsible declaration. UK S1 certificate holders continue using their existing route.

Last checked

2026-05-22

MiResidencia Digital Residency Portal

🟡 Stalled — possibly quiet rollout

What was promised

Centralised digital portal for residency procedures; €78M budget; 1,200 temporary staff; Q1 2026 rollout

By whom

Ministry of Inclusion

First dated reference

Q1 2026, the promised rollout window.

Promised timing

Q1 2026

Reality

Q1 2026 passed with no public announcement of full launch. Status unclear — may be quietly rolling out in limited form, or delayed. No official confirmation either way.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Economic Development Commitments

Economic-development announcements are useful early signals, but they are easy to overread. Jobs, square metres, hotel flags and strategic-project labels only become resident reality when land, permits, construction contracts and operating dates line up.

Tech & Industry

IMEC Semiconductor Research Centre (Málaga TechPark)

🔵 In progress — on track

What was promised

Belgium’s IMEC building Spain’s first 300mm semiconductor R&D facility; €615M total; 450 jobs; Junta land permission January 2025

By whom

Spanish Government (SETT) / Junta / IMEC

First dated reference

January 2025, when Junta land permission entered the current source trail.

Promised timing

Construction contracts awarded May 2026 (delivered); building permit obtained May 2026; construction start Q1 2027; first equipment H2 2028; operations ~2030

Reality

Progressing as described. Construction contracts (~€168M) awarded May 2026 to Sando+OHLA+Itercon and the building permit obtained the same month. Construction is set to start Q1 2027, first equipment H2 2028, operations around 2030. €615M total (€500M state). One of the few large announcements moving on its stated path. The six-month detailed-design phase began after the May award; post-award technical meetings confirmed July 2026.

Last checked

2026-07-10

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: IMEC Malaga investment and 2030 reality framing
• Current reality: SUR: building permit and construction-contract milestone

Sermatec Lithium Battery Plant (Humilladero, Málaga)

🔴 Missed

What was promised

Europe’s largest LFP lithium battery plant; 10,000m²; 5GWh annual production; 300 jobs; first Sermatec outside China

By whom

Sermatec / Junta de Andalucía

First dated reference

End of 2025, the original operational target that was missed.

Promised timing

Operational “around end of 2025” (original — missed); strategic status valid to December 2027

Reality

Original end-2025 target missed. State incentives were officially confirmed in February 2026 (356 direct jobs), and a new operational target of end-2026 is stated alongside the neighbouring Hygreen plant. But no groundbreaking has been announced and no construction is visible, so this stays a missed-and-watching entry, not an active build. As of 10 July 2026 there is still no construction start; with an 18-24 month build, the stated end-2026 operational target is no longer arithmetically achievable.

Last checked

2026-07-10

Hygreen Energy Electrolyser Factory (Humilladero, Málaga)

🔵 In progress — permitting phase

What was promised

5GW alkaline electrolyser manufacturing plant; €78M; 168 direct jobs

By whom

Hygreen Energy / Junta de Andalucía

First dated reference

May 2025, when strategic-project status was granted.

Promised timing

Strategic status valid to December 2027; operational date unconfirmed

Reality

Strategic status granted May 2025. Permitting fast-tracked. No confirmed operational date and no groundbreaking confirmed. Broader Hygreen plan involves $2.2B in Spanish green hydrogen. As of 10 July 2026 there is still no construction start; the end-2026 operational target stated alongside Sermatec is no longer arithmetically achievable on an 18-24 month build.

Last checked

2026-07-10

Estepona Private University

🔴 Missed — 3 years, nothing built

What was promised

Private university in Estepona; scholarship system for residents; endorsed by mayor

By whom

Estepona Mayor García Urbano

First dated reference

November 2023, when the project was announced.

Promised timing

Operational for 2025-26 academic year (missed)

Reality

Announced November 2023. Nearly three years later: no construction and no Junta authorization — the implantation request sits in trámite with no BOJA decree. The 2025-26 target passed with nothing built, and as of 21 August 2026, weeks before term start and with no legal authorization in existence, a 2026-27 opening is also impossible. Next feasible window: 2027-28.

Last checked

2026-08-21

Málaga TechPark (PTA) Phase 2 Expansion

🔵 In progress

What was promised

Second major expansion adding ~570,000m² developable land; 4 new buildings tendered

By whom

PTA Málaga / Junta

First dated reference

2025, when the current expansion trail appeared in the TechPark performance and planning record.

Promised timing

Partial plan approval 2026 (now achieved); urbanisation works in two phases

Reality

Moving. The Local Government Board approved the revised Partial Plan for the SUS-CA.23 PTA Extension sector (~550,000m²). In May 2026 a €1,257M data centre in the extension was declared a strategic investment for Andalucía (710 construction jobs, 254 in operation). TechPark also recorded a strong 2025: 29,018 workers, €4.896B revenue (+17%). Land-development and purchase steps still lie ahead.

Last checked

2026-06-19

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: TechPark data-centre expansion announcement
• Current reality: SUR: land-development and purchase steps still ahead

Hospitality

Four Seasons Marbella East (Río Real)

⚪ Announced — 2026 date is not realistic

What was promised

~€700M luxury hotel + branded residences; approximately 2026 hotel opening

By whom

Immobel / Four Seasons

First dated reference

February 2026, when the urbanisation project was presented to Marbella local government.

Promised timing

Hotel “towards end of 2026” (marketing language); residences 2029; full completion 2031-2032

Reality

Advancing in planning, with an ownership flip: Ricardo Arranz, the local promoter who fronted the project for years, sold 90% of the project land to Immobel and Fort Partners in May 2026 and exits. The Junta’s environmental approval (AAU) for the El Pinar I / Río Real site (325,161 m²) cleared in February 2026, with total investment put at €650-740M. Institutional owners with hotel-delivery track records make the project more likely to build — on their timetable. Still pre-construction; realistic build start 2027, full delivery nearer 2031-32. The “2026 opening” line in press materials is marketing framing, not a delivery commitment.

Last checked

2026-07-03

Waldorf Astoria Higuerón Marbella Golf Resort

⚪ Announced

What was promised

€220M ultra-luxury resort; 120 rooms + 120 branded residences; first Waldorf Astoria in Spain

By whom

Higuerón Developments / Hilton

First dated reference

November 2025, when the resort was announced.

Promised timing

Opening 2029

Reality

Announced November 2025. Planning and approval phase. 2029 is the stated opening.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Torre del Puerto — Málaga Port Hotel Skyscraper

❌ Cancelled

What was promised

144m Chipperfield-designed luxury hotel; 382 rooms; ~€200M; Levante Dock

By whom

Al Alfia / Hesperia / Puertos del Estado

First dated reference

Around 2015, based on the source trail’s 10-year process before the December 2025 cancellation.

Promised timing

Completion ~2028 (now cancelled)

Reality

Puertos del Estado scrapped the project in December 2025 and called a new tender. Two court appeals pending. Project reset to square one after approximately 10 years and three design iterations. The port is back to square one.

Last checked

2026-05-22

Source trail

• Announcement coverage: SUR: Torre del Puerto concerns before expected approval
• Current reality: SUR: Port Authority pauses the skyscraper-hotel procedure

Puerto Banús — Sale Process

⚪ Announced — no timeline

What was promised

Vidiella family (marina concession holders) exploring entry of financial partner or majority stake sale via EY process

By whom

Vidiella family / EY

First dated reference

April 2026, when the EY sale-process exploration was confirmed.

Promised timing

No timeline stated

Reality

EY process confirmed April 2026. No deal announced. Timeline unknown. Worth watching.

Last checked

2026-05-22

How to Use This Tracker

This tracker is most useful when you are deciding whether a public commitment should change your plan. A delivered or actively contracted commitment can be built into assumptions. A study, proposal, press statement or marketing launch should be treated as a monitoring item until the delivery mechanism becomes concrete.

1. Check the status, not just the headline. A promised date can be useful, but the current phase matters more.
2. Look for the delivery mechanism. Funding, legal text, construction contracts, tenders and implementation windows matter more than political language.
3. Ask who is affected now. A regulatory launch may hit drivers, landlords, autonomos or non-EU travellers before the broader public notices.
4. Watch partial delivery carefully. Partial reopening, soft launch and pilot phase are not the same as full normal service.
5. Recheck before relying on a date. The entries here are last checked, but transport, tax and immigration timelines can move quickly.

Related Guides

These WaypointSur guides give practical detail behind several tracker categories. Use them when a commitment has moved from headline risk into something that affects a move, property, business or day-to-day decision.

• Getting to the Costa del Sol
• Public Transport in Malaga and the Costa del Sol
• Malaga Airport Transfers
• Short-Term Rental Regulations by Housing Type
• VeriFactu Spain
• Becoming Autonomo in Spain
• Private Health Insurance in Spain
• Healthcare in Spain
• Buying Property in Spain
• Property Purchase Costs in Spain
• Starting a Business in Malaga
• Business Networking on the Costa del Sol
• Cost of Living on the Costa del Sol
• Electricity in Spain
• Toll Roads in Spain

FAQ

These questions cover how to read the tracker, what it includes and how often it changes. The short version is simple: the page tracks commitments that materially affect Costa del Sol residents, then updates them when the evidence changes.

Update Log

Last updated: 4 September 2026. 4 September round: one entry updated from the 4 September beat round — eVTOL Air Taxi Málaga–Marbella: moved from stalled (Lilium insolvency, no replacement partner) to in progress, after the EU-funded Verti-Go project (Honeywell Aerospace-led, Aena/Enaire consortium, €6.77M budget) surfaced targeting 2028 Málaga–Marbella eVTOL demonstration flights. No other entry changed status this round. Previous 28 August round: one entry updated from the 28 August beat round — Tren Litoral: the feasibility study’s delivery date moved from November 2026 to 2 April 2027 after a four-month extension granted in August 2026; the study’s five-section Nerja–Algeciras structure was confirmed. No entry changed status. Previous 21 August round: two entries updated from the 21 August beat round — Metro Line 2 reality rewritten (final 510m section signed May 2026 on a 36-month clock, in execution since July 2026 but still at survey stage; a ~700-tomb Roman necropolis forced reprogramming of section 1; the 2027 opening is no longer arithmetically possible, no official re-date yet), and Estepona Private University updated: with no Junta authorization in existence weeks before term start, the 2026-27 academic year is also missed — next feasible window 2027-28. No entry changed status. Previous 14 August round: two entries updated — ETIAS moved from date-scrubbed to formally postponed indefinitely (EU announcement, 11 August 2026; eu-LISA September board still the next decision point), and Málaga ZBE Phase 2: the city requested an aclaración from the TSJA, reported as pausing the appeal deadline, moving the decision window to September 2026 while €200 fines continue. Previous 13 August round: new Water & Desalination section added with eight entries, closing the tracker’s largest gap — the provincial water programme had no coverage here despite being the defining infrastructure story of 2022–2026. Two delivered (Marbella desalination capacity restoration, July 2025; Bajo Guadalhorce wellfield, in service March 2026), one in progress and behind (N-340 Benalmádena–Torremolinos main), one drought framework formally ended (Orden 10 April 2026), and four outstanding: the Axarquía plant (€201.6M announced, ~€66,000 actually spent), the Mijas–Fuengirola plant (works awarded 2008, never built, back to study in 2026), ETAP Río Verde (committed 2004, still in adjudication), and the Ramal Este renewal (design tendered August 2026, construction unscheduled). A WaypointSur self-correction is recorded against the N-340 entry: our 2 December 2025 issue published the wrong budget, the wrong contractor and an unreachable completion date. Previous 29 July round: ETIAS lost its official launch date — the European Commission’s travel site removed the “last quarter of 2026” line around 20 July after eu-LISA reported the date unfeasible, leaving ETIAS date-less for the first time in the tracker’s history; a revised timeline is expected after eu-LISA’s September board meeting. No entry changed status. Previous 17 July round: AVE Álora moved to delivered — the second track reopened 17 July with 8 added weekly Renfe trains, twelve days after Adif had declined to give any date and after six missed targets; no other entry changed status. Previous mid-July check: AVE Álora double track now officially date-less (Adif, 5 July); Sermatec and Hygreen end-2026 operational targets recorded as arithmetically unachievable with still no groundbreaking; IMEC design phase confirmed on its stated path. Previous 3 July refresh: regularisation window closed at 1,174,978 applications (delivered); Málaga ZBE Phases 1-2 marked annulled-by-TSJA-under-appeal; Cercanías C2 moved from stalled to running-but-fragile; Metro Line 2’s 2027 date flagged at risk after a 36-month section award; Marbella PGOM plenary confirmed for 29 July; Málaga’s broader three-year tourist-accommodation ban (1 July) and the Four Seasons ownership flip added. Previous June refresh: national short-term-rental registry moved to annulled after the Tribunal Supremo ruling; PTA Phase 2, IMEC, AVE Álora, Four Seasons and the regularisation deadline updated against current sources. Structure (commitment blocks grouped by category, first dated reference fields, court-challenge tracking) unchanged. Source basis: official announcements, beat-round verification, public records and subscriber intel.

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