Briefing
The Junta de Extremadura has formally decided that the requested change to the project to produce synthetic diamonds in Trujillo does not require a new environmental impact assessment. The decision by the Dirección General de Gestión Sostenible y Política Forestal is dated 9 September 2026 and was published on 21 September 2026 in the Diario Oficial de Extremadura (DOE, No. 182). The published Resolución (reference number IA26/0757) states that the modification is expected to have “no significant adverse environmental effects”, so a new full assessment procedure is not required.
According to the notice, the change mainly concerns the plant’s structural and technical design: it includes, among other things, combining the buildings for phases 2 and 3 and modifying some technical facilities. The administration makes clear that the conditions set out in the original declaración de impacto ambiental issued in February 2023, and the subsequent conditions, remain unchanged and binding. Requirements concerning noise, emissions, water and waste management, and environmental monitoring therefore remain in force.
The authority justifies its assessment on the grounds that the submitted changes do not alter the key assumptions of the previous assessment to an extent that would give rise to new or increased environmental pressures. The approach is based on the relevant regional legislation of the Autonomous Community; under this framework, modifications to projects that have already been assessed must undergo a targeted assessment before a full supplementary procedure is ordered.
The project developer is Diamond Foundry Europe, which is building the plant in the province of Cáceres. The decision is a formal step in the ongoing approval and modification process; affected parties can appeal against it within the time limits specified in the DOE. For the region, the finding mainly provides planning certainty, while compliance with the existing conditions remains subject to monitoring and enforcement.
Editor: Andreas M. Brucker (Article created with AI assistance).