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Spain: Malaga City Council has approved further planning restrictions on tourist accommodation, requiring all new hotels, hostels, tourist apartments and short-term rentals proposed on residential land to undergo a full planning modification process.
Under the revised city planning rules, new tourism accommodation projects in residential areas will no longer receive automatic approval. Instead, developers will need to demonstrate that proposals provide a wider public benefit and are appropriate for the surrounding neighbourhood.
Applications submitted after the measures come into force could also face a suspension period of up to three years, while projects already in the planning system will continue to be assessed under the previous rules.
The latest changes build on measures introduced since 2024 to curb the growth of tourist accommodation in residential areas. In August 2025, Malaga imposed a three-year moratorium on new short-term rental registrations in 43 neighbourhoods where tourist accommodation exceeded 8% of the local housing stock.
The new planning framework extends restrictions to all forms of tourist accommodation on residential land, including hotels and serviced tourist apartment developments.
According to regional government data, Malaga has more than 12,000 registered short-term rental properties offering around 64,000 guest beds. The highest concentrations are found in the city centre, Plaza de la Merced, Pedregalejo, El Palo, La Malagueta and Huelin.
Elsewhere on the Costa del Sol, Marbella continues to accept applications for new short-term rental licences, while Manilva also operates a three-year pause on new registrations.
Highlights:
- Malaga has approved tighter planning controls on new tourist accommodation.
- Hotels, hostels, tourist apartments and short-term rentals on residential land will require full planning approval.
- The changes build on the city’s 2025 moratorium on new STR licences in saturated neighbourhoods.
- Existing planning applications will continue under the previous rules.
- Marbella continues to accept new short-term rental applications, while Manilva also operates a licensing pause.
