The main objective of this article is to relate the urban development of the coastline of the Province of Petorca, with the geographic-physical space considerations that the current territorial planning instruments the considerations of the geographic-physical space that are ignored by the territorial planning instruments in force. The analysis showed that the environmental diversity of the coastal territory of the Province of Petorca has been a secondary factor in the zoning proposed by the The analysis showed that the environmental diversity of the coastal territory of the Province of Petorca has been a secondary factor in the zoning proposed by the current intercommunal regulatory plan, which privileges those elements linked to real estate management over the protection of the natural heritage of the coastal environment.El presente artículo tiene como objetivo central relacionar el desarrollo urbano del litoral de la Provincia de Petorca, con las consideraciones del espacio geográfico-físico que obvian los instrumentos de planificación territorial vigentes. El análisis realizado demostró que la diversidad ambiental del territorio costero de la Provincia de Petorca ha sido un factor secundario en la zonificación propuesta por el plan regulador intercomunal vigente. el que privilegia aquellos elementos vinculados a la gestión inmobiliaria por sobre la protección de la herencia natural del medio litoral.