However, the project was halted when Sert died of lung cancer in 1983. Work on Cala d’en Serra was not resumed and it has been completely abandoned ever since. Many Ibizans consider it an eyesore and a ‘pollution’ of a beautiful natural area. Others see it as a kind of ‘cultural heritage’, given that Sert was one of Catalonia’s most respected and renowned architects.
Over time, there have been several proposals on what to do with the site: in 2013, a British company presented itself to the authorities with plans to build a completely new hotel complex there. In 2016, the owner of the land (on which the ruins are located) made his own proposal: he found investors to transform it into a luxury hotel and wellness centre with no less than 5 (!) floors and a total surface area of 12,141 square metres. Buttttt… the lands on which the unfinished project is located are protected by the ‘Law of Natural Spaces’ (LEN) and are classified as a ‘Natural Environment of Special Interest’ (ANEI). On top of that, they are also affected by the Coastal Law: the ruin occupies part of the easement zone and part of the 100-metre protection zone… Oops!