Torre del Greco – An illegal villa measuring approximately 80 square meters was razed to the ground yesterday in the Vesuvius National Park, thanks to a demolition order issued by the Torre Annunziata Court.
The operation, part of the Prosecutor's Office's crusade against illegal building, was carried out under a self-demolition regime by the owner himself, thus avoiding the use of public funds already allocated by the Park. The building – a square ground floor with a patio and balcony, used for residential purposes – stood at Via Cappella Bianchini 17, in an area protected by multiple restrictions: landscape-environmental (DM 1964), seismic (high-risk zone 2), volcanic (red zone ex LR 21/2003), hydrogeological (Piano Sarno) and urban planning (periurban agricultural zone E3 and C2 of the Vesuvius Park).
The ruling dates back to 2009, but the action comes now, culminating years of institutional awareness-raising. "An irreplaceable tool for protecting the environment," the Prosecutor's Office commented, emphasizing its dual effect of repressive and deterrent action against environmental violations.
"Demolition is not just repression, but prevention: it restores the violated environment and deters potential squatters," the prosecutor explains in an official statement, echoing the judicial office's primary mission.
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This is the sixth similar operation in less than four months in Torre del Greco: in July, two illegal warehouses on Via La Maria Ruospo and a villa on Via Boccea were razed to the ground, followed by a school building and a garage with a pergola.
A vigorous campaign has already restored over 300 square meters of land to greenery. But behind the numbers lies a story of Campania's fragility. Illegal construction plagues the Sorrento and Vesuvian Peninsulas: according to Legambiente, 25% of new homes in Campania are built without permits, fueled by poverty and speculation, with devastating environmental costs—soil erosion, increased hydrogeological risk, and the destruction of habitats for endemic species like the Eurasian Eagle Owl.
In Torre del Greco, the phenomenon is chronic: since 2010, over 200 demolition orders have been issued, but only 40% have been carried out, often after years of delays. "It's a plague that's eating away at our future," says Antonio, 62, a resident just steps from the site: "I lived in fear of a landslide, with that concrete blocking the drainage channels. Now I can breathe, but how many remain hidden among the vineyards?" His testimony, collected in local Facebook groups, reflects his ambivalence: relief at the intervention, but anger at the delay—16 years after the conviction.
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