Nature conservation, the development of tourist urbanisations and agriculture all compete for land. In some cases, such as that of Alicante (Spain) and above all along the coastal strip, this competition is dramatic and excluding. The three sectors have developed and grown stronger in a spectacular manner in the last two decades despite restrictions enforced by geo-environmental requirements. Ignorance of these requirements has frequently resulted in catastrophes which, although blamed on natural causes, have been provoked by human intervention. Therefore, the province of Alicante is a real life laboratory for studying and analysing the successes and failures of conventional economic development, interaction with nature and the possibilities of achieving, or not, sustainable development.