Semarnat Denies Environmental Permit for GL Dreams Subdivision in Puerto Morelos

Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo — Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) declined to authorize the environmental impact statement for GL Dreams, a 308-home subdivision that environmentalists say would harm the mangroves of Puerto Morelos.

The Ecological Gazette records a resolution dated Aug. 28, 2026, for file 23QR2024U0016, filed by Terrenos y Construcciones del Puerto, S.A. de C.V. The validity section carries the notation “not applicable,” which is consistent with a decision that grants no authorization, though the published extract does not set out the grounds for the ruling.

The outcome blocks the development as submitted for environmental review, but it does not necessarily mean the project is permanently canceled.

Mangrove at the Center of the Dispute

GL Dreams calls for 308 homes, including single-family houses and apartments, on roughly 11.8 hectares in Supermanzana 1 of Puerto Morelos. The project was presented with a projected investment of 438 million pesos and includes roads, service infrastructure and recreational spaces.

Since 2024, residents and environmental groups have warned of possible damage to the mangrove and wetland system in the area. During the public consultation period for the impact statement, held in May and June of that year, they raised concerns about changes to the natural surroundings, habitat fragmentation and possible disruptions to water flows.

Environmental Groups Opposed the Project

The group Save the Waters launched a citizen petition against GL Dreams in 2024, arguing that construction could compromise an ecosystem vital to biodiversity and coastal protection.

Environmental concerns in Puerto Morelos have a longer history. Since 2017, organizations had reported alleged land filling and mangrove damage on properties in the area. In December 2023, the federal government decreed the Puerto Morelos Mangroves Flora and Fauna Protection Area to strengthen conservation of these ecosystems.

However, the existence of that protected area is not enough, without reviewing its official location and boundaries, to conclude that the entire GL Dreams property lies within it.

What Comes Next for GL Dreams

The resolution dated Aug. 28, 2026, opens a new phase in the environmental dispute over the subdivision. Although the record consulted does not contain the technical or legal arguments behind the decision, the result does not amount to a permanent ban on developing the land.

The developer could submit a new environmental assessment request, subject again to the corresponding requirements and procedures. For now, GL Dreams remains under scrutiny over its potential impact on the Puerto Morelos mangrove, while the full text of Semarnat’s ruling has yet to be disclosed.