Words: Ashley Rigg
Published: 8th March 2011
Costa del Sol housing “amnesty” given cautious welcome
An announcement by the Andalucian regional government that it plans to “normalise” more than 11,000 homes has been welcomed by campaign groups.
The statement made on Friday declares that 11,025 homes in the Axarquia region, which were built with inadequate planning permission, will begin the process of legalisation within three to six months.
The homes, which for years have faced the prospect of demolition, now appear to be safe. Philip Smalley, president of residents' group Save Our Homes in Axarquia is cautiously optimistic.
“At the moment it is just words, but our understanding is that finally the council in Andalucia will pass an amendment to legalise these houses. It is absolutely a step in the right direction," he told the
Telegraph.
The amnesty in Axarquia's will put the vast majority of the area's illegally-built homes on the road to legalisation, although a remaining 859 properties deemed to have been illegally built on specially-protected land may still be demolished.
Josefina Cruz, the head of the department for public works and housing in the Andalusian regional government states:
"We will act forcefully so that the occurrence of illegally-built houses in Axarquia is contained, because we have to protect the countryside and the touristic value of the region".
According to government figures, 100,000 homes built around the coast during the last decade face unresolved planning problems.
The root cause of today’s illegal homes is thought to come from corrupt town hall politicians approving construction projects which were later ruled illegal by regional planning chiefs.
The move by Andalusian authorities will be seen by many as being motivated by the need to restore confidence in the Spanish property market.
It is certainly a good start but as I’m sure many of our readers will agree, the government could be doing much more.
Source: Global edge
User Comments
It's not rocket science, the policians need to listen to the people who matter... BUYERS!
We are surrounded by developments on the Costa del Sol where people have been living (and paying taxes) for nearly 20 years which still do not have a first occupation license, incredible but true!
It only becomes a problem when these people want to sell, speak to a "Spanish" lawyer who represents the vendor and it's not a problem, speak to the same "Spanish" lawyer representing the buyer and it is a problem, the hypocracy is unbelievable.
It is VERY, VERY simple, start issuing first occupation licenses and people can then start to sell their properties without all the current bullshit!
Who in their right mind would increase the property transfer tax (which was already one of the highest in Europe) during a recession... you got it the Spanish government!
Their business phylosophy in all walks is "if there are fewer people then provide less and charge more".
WAKE UP!... The Spanish Costas have no sustainable industry other than tourism and real estate and guess what, they are both very much connected,
Sort out the first occupation licenses!
Ken Spencer,
Property Options Spain