A war between live-in homeowners and tourist flat operators has broken out at a block of luxury flats in Malaga city.

Tensions are boiling over at the Torres de Martiricos, where neighbourly relations have reached breaking point following a series of incidents with unruly holidaymakers – including the police being called out multiple times.

The two towers are among the most striking developments in Malaga, where homes sell for up to €1.5million, although they have been controversial since their inception.

First over their design (locals are not fans of tall buildings blocking views), then rising property prices, and now over the growing number of tourist rentals that many wealthy tenants believe are disturbing the peace.

There are around 160 holiday apartments operating across both buildings, and while opponents now hold a simple majority in community meetings, they still fall short of the three-fifths needed to ban them outright, in accordance with local property laws.

That stalemate has fuelled increasingly tense meetings, reports respected local newspaper Malaga Hoy.

Residents’ association president Francisco Ramos described an atmosphere of ‘extreme tension’, with veiled threats, legal letters and constant disputes.

He also points to ongoing problems with tourist behaviour, including parties that have required police intervention and dangerous incidents such as visitors climbing onto high-rise terrace railings.

Others inside the towers paint a very different picture. One resident who also manages tourist flats says complaints are being exaggerated and insists he has yet to experience any serious issues firsthand.

However, even he acknowledges the situation is deteriorating, with the fallout from the latest residents’ meeting now expected to end up in court.

Critics claim proxy votes were used to push through decisions – including appointing a new administrator – with only a simple majority.

Opponents have gone as far as calling it a ‘semi-coup’ of the board, accusing pro-tourism owners of manipulating the process to maintain control.

The dispute is also tangled up in regulatory confusion. Malaga City Hall previously moved to deregister 121 tourist flats in the towers for breaching planning rules, but the process collapsed due to a procedural issue.

Although authorities promised to restart it, residents say months have passed with no progress, leaving the situation unresolved.

Ramos accused institutions of siding with tourism interests. He claimed there is ‘collusion with the tourism lobby’ and an attempt to ‘push residents out of their homes and neighbourhoods to make space for tourists’.

He also insists opposition is growing: ‘We are more and better organised now, because even those renting long-term are seeing complaints from their tenants.’

It comes as Malaga is fast becoming a flashpoint between fed-up locals and a forever-increasing number of tourists.

The Spanish Eye previously reported local anger over plans to convert a traditional fishing village into a new tourism mecca.

It came after new graffiti reading ‘guiris’ and ‘tourists go home’ appeared next to a block of holiday lets.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.