Mexico Approves $16 Million Beach Restoration Project in Cancun

Cancun, Quintana Roo — Mexico’s Environment Ministry has approved a $16 million beach restoration project at the Puerto Cancun condominium complex, granting the developer five years to complete the work and requiring 50 years of maintenance.

The federal agency authorized the “Beach Reconditioning Actions” project after the developer, Condominio Puerto Cancun UC69, submitted additional documentation requested during an evaluation process that began in October 2025. The project had been suspended in August 2025 due to incomplete information.

The restoration aims to rehabilitate and stabilize approximately 785 meters of beachfront in front of the condominium complex, recovering eroded federal land between a breakwater and a golf course. According to the developer’s environmental impact statement, this section of beach has a thin, unstable sand strip vulnerable to seasonal and extreme weather events, with coastal deterioration leading to degradation of other physical and biological factors.

The approved work includes installing a 55-meter-long, 2.44-meter-wide piloted wooden walkway with geotextile reinforcement filled with sand underneath. The project also involves relocating sand over 27,180 square meters of beach area and creating a 3-meter-wide, 730-meter-long coastal strip.

Approximately 28,000 cubic meters of sand will be used for beach reconditioning, filling the geotextile reinforcement elements, and building the dune core. The developer states the sand will be sourced from marine disposal areas in front of the project site that lack seagrass, with care taken not to harm nearby seagrass beds.

In addition to the $16 million project cost, the developer must allocate $2 million annually for maintenance. The work aims to restore recreational activities and reestablish pedestrian access along the beachfront while minimizing environmental impact and respecting natural coastal dynamics.