A large-scale cleanup of a private plot in Ses Feixes, Ibiza, has entered its third day, with heavy machinery removing vegetation, waste and debris from an area where dozens of people had been living in makeshift structures.

The work began on Monday, September 21, and has substantially cleared the affected plot. However, many of the people who had been living there have not left the wider Ses Feixes area and have instead moved their belongings a short distance to an adjacent part of the settlement.

The operation is being carried out on private property. Reports differ on the precise role of Ibiza Town Hall in initiating the work, with the property owner identified as the party carrying out the cleanup, while the municipal Environment councillor has said the work is being undertaken by the owner at the Town Hall's request.

Most of the makeshift structures have disappeared

Before the cleanup began, estimates put the number of people living in the affected part of Ses Feixes at around 80, although other reporting has given a lower figure.

After three days of work, only three or four makeshift dwellings reportedly remain standing on the cleared plot, with fewer than half of the previous residents estimated to remain there.

Large piles of rubbish and construction debris remain to be removed, while access to some of the former living areas has become more difficult as the work has progressed.

The cleanup is expected to continue as workers remove and separate the accumulated waste.

Residents move to the neighbouring area

The operation has not resulted in everyone leaving Ses Feixes.

According to accounts from the area, many of the former occupants have moved their belongings only a short distance away, towards the part of Ses Cases d'Es Prat closer to the port.

This means the population has been displaced within the wider area rather than completely removed from Ses Feixes.

The population profile also appears to differ between the two areas. Reports from the neighbouring section describe a greater presence of single men, including people of Algerian origin, while the plot being cleared had included families and minors.

Cleanup follows weeks of complaints

The operation comes after weeks of complaints from residents of Es Pratet about the growth and conditions of the settlement.

Neighbourhood representatives have described increasing numbers of people arriving in groups and building improvised structures, as well as concerns about accumulated rubbish, vegetation, fires and other problems affecting the surrounding area. These accounts are based on statements from local residents and should not be treated as an official assessment of every person living in the settlement.

There have also been concerns about the use of butane cylinders and other equipment within some of the makeshift structures. A fire was reported in the wider Ses Feixes area in August, adding to concerns about fire risk.

Rubbish and debris remain on site

The removal of vegetation has exposed parts of the settlement that had previously been hidden by dense growth.

The latest reports describe large quantities of rubbish and debris remaining on the property after three days of work. The cleanup is therefore not yet complete.

The municipality has previously identified the restoration and cleaning of Ses Feixes as part of its broader plans for the environmentally and culturally important wetland.

In February 2026, Ibiza Town Hall announced agreements covering two privately owned plots in Ses Feixes, with plans including restoration of canals, possible removal of waste and debris, vegetation management and protection of biodiversity. The municipality said more than €121,000 had been invested in actions in the Ses Feixes area since 2023.

Ses Feixes is a protected wetland

Ses Feixes is a historic wetland with significant environmental and cultural value. The area contains the remains of an agricultural irrigation system dating back centuries and is recognised for its biodiversity.

Ibiza Town Hall's own planning documentation identifies the regeneration and restoration of Ses Feixes as a long-term objective, including cleaning, restoration of its water system and removal of accumulated waste.

The current cleanup is taking place on a private plot within this wider protected environment rather than constituting a complete restoration of Ses Feixes.

The wider problem remains unresolved

The movement of residents into neighbouring parts of the settlement means that clearing one plot does not resolve the wider issue of people living in makeshift accommodation across the area.

The president of the Es Pratet residents' association has called for property owners, Ibiza Town Hall and the Consell to reach a broader agreement over how the situation should be addressed.

For now, the immediate result of the three-day operation is a substantially clearer private plot, with most of the former makeshift structures removed or vacated.

However, people continue to live in the surrounding area, and the wider questions concerning housing, land ownership, waste management, public health, environmental protection and the future of the settlement remain unresolved.