The area that now occupies Empuriabrava were lands dedicated to the agriculture and to the pastures, in which only five farms existed (also called "cortals"). In 1964 a project was presented to urbanize the zone between the rivers Muga, Salins, the road of Figueres to Roses and the sea.

The project, called "Partial Planning Plan for Ampuriabrava, 1st phase", contained the idea of the urbanization crossed by a grid of channels, the first one with these characteristics in the Iberian Peninsula, and also included a small landing strip for light aircraft and the construction of an international flying club. November 24, 1966 the provisional approval is offered and June 27, 1967 the Provincial Commission of Town Planning and Architecture gives the final approval to the project.

Parallel to the building work, an intense promotional campaign is carried out, mainly in Germany but also in France and in the Benelux, that obtains enough success: the idea is quite attractive and the prices turn out to be very accessible for these countries. Thus a high quantity of foreign people acquire plots or dwellings in Empuriabrava.

In 1975 the second phase of the plan is approved, and at the end of the seventies the Spanish population began to surpass the Germans in the acquisition of building permits.

In the year 1980 the area passes from the hands of the development business to those of the City Hall. At present Empuriabrava occupies an extension of some 503'3 hectares, with some 15.000 dwellings. Of the total surface of the urbanization, the 64% corresponds to buildings, 13% to roads, 10% to green areas and sports and another 10% to channels and harbours. Most of the surface built is destined to buildings with garden, followed by groups of houses and later, the blocks of flats and apartments. The success of Empuriabrava reflects in a population of about 80.000 people during the months of summer, although only around 5.000 people are registered.