Environmental green light for the rural accommodation of Villanueva de la Vera

The General Directorate of Sustainable Management and Forestry Policy of the Regional Ministry of Industry, Energy, Science and Territory has formulated the environmental impact report for the project of existing buildings for tourist use to be located on plots 211, 212, 213, and 214 of polygon 5 of the municipality of Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres). The resolution, signed on August 31, 2026, concludes that it is not foreseeable that the action will produce significant adverse impacts on the environment; therefore, it is not considered necessary to subject it to an ordinary environmental impact assessment. The document is published in the Official Gazette of Extremadura number 176, dated September 11, 2026, within section III (Other Resolutions), with reference 2026062281.

A rural accommodation project on rustic land

The objective of the project is to establish a tourist use on the estate, intended for rural accommodation, through the legalization of existing buildings and the adaptation of an agricultural building (drying shed type) for an accommodation module and a multipurpose room. The promoters are Esteban Kutzwor and Eva Gloria Sánchez Blanco, and the processed file is IA25/0452.

• Surface area of the buildings to be legalized, implemented, and adapted: 759.95 m².
• Total surface area of the estate according to cadastral data: 50,633.00 m².
• Planned modules: rural house 1 and 2, yurt-type tents, and a camping area with 4 plots for tents with a capacity for 6 people.
• Location site: “Vega del Rincón”, 5 km from the urban land boundary of Villanueva de la Vera.

The action is framed within Annex V of Law 16/2015, of April 23, on environmental protection of the Autonomous Community of Extremadura, which subjects the project to a simplified environmental impact assessment.

Impact on the Natura 2000 Network

The environmental analysis determines that the existing buildings are located on plot 213, outside the Protected Areas Network of Extremadura. However, plot 214 is included in two spaces of the Natura 2000 Network:

• Special Area of Conservation (SAC) “Río Tiétar” (ES4320031).
• Special Protection Area (SPA) “Río y Pinares del Tiétar” (ES0000427).

The action area also belongs to an Important Bird Area (IBA), that of Bajo Tiétar and rampa de la Vera, and borders the Boguillas stream, a watercourse included in Natura 2000 spaces with key elements linked to riparian habitats. The Nature Conservation and Protected Areas Service reported favorably on the action, as it is not susceptible to appreciably affecting natural values, provided that preventive and corrective measures are met.

Consultations and conditions

During the processing, the then General Directorate of Sustainability conducted consultations on June 25, 2025, with the affected administrations, among which the Nature Conservation Service, the General Directorate of Libraries, Archives and Cultural Heritage, the General Directorate of Urbanism, Territorial Planning and Urban Agenda, the Forestry Management Directorate, and the Tagus Hydrographic Confederation responded. The report incorporates extensive conditions:

• Do not remove native tree or shrub bases, nor build within 3 meters of any tree.
• Watertight and approved septic tanks to prevent discharges into the public hydraulic domain.
• Landscape integration of constructions and prohibition of invasive exotic species.
• Downward-directed lighting to avoid light pollution and disturbances to wildlife.
• Cessation of works and notification to the Ministry of Culture should archaeological remains appear.

Relevance for the region

The environmental impact report is valid for four years from its publication, within which period the project must be authorized. The resolution is issued solely for environmental purposes, without prejudice to municipal licenses and the rural classification corresponding to the City Council of Villanueva de la Vera, which is competent in urban planning matters. The decision clears the way for rural accommodation in the heart of the La Vera region, a territory of high natural and tourist value, although conditioned upon strict compliance with protection measures for the environment of the Tiétar River.

Source: Official Gazette of Extremadura, no. 176, September 11, 2026, section III (Other Resolutions) (official reference: 2026062281).