A small seaside cottage in northern Lanzarote has been demolished by the Spanish coastal authorities following a legal and administrative battle lasting almost two decades.

The 31-square-metre family property stood at Caleta de Escamas, in the municipality of Haría, on the coast between Jameos del Agua and Órzola. Heavy machinery demolished the building on Monday.

The cottage was built before the 1950s and was one of a small number of properties constructed on the volcanic landscape close to the shoreline. Generations of the same family had used it as a summer holiday home for fishing, swimming and spending time together.

Aday Bonilla, a relative of the owners, said the family accepted that the law must be followed but questioned whether demolishing the long-standing property should have been a priority.

He said the cottage represented decades of family memories and described its loss as the demolition of “a small part of our memory”.

The case dates back to 2008, when proceedings were launched by the authorities to recover possession of the land. The property had been included within an officially designated area of public coastal land following the approval of new coastal boundaries in 2006.

Pedro Viera, the Spanish Government's representative in Lanzarote, said the order to demolish the property eventually became final through both administrative and judicial proceedings.

On 1st July this year, the court informed the coastal authorities that they could proceed with the demolition.

However, the family claims that on 24th August, the day the demolition was due to take place, a court ordered the work to be temporarily suspended. Despite this, the building was demolished.

The family has questioned why the property was removed after standing on the Lanzarote coastline for more than 70 years, arguing that the island faces more pressing issues including housing shortages, unaffordable rents and pressure from tourism.

The case highlights the strict rules governing buildings on Spain's coastline, where properties that fall within designated public coastal land can face legal action or demolition even if they have been standing for decades.