|
| Personal finance articles |
|
|
|
Demoliton threat to ex-pats
British expatriates in Spain could see their homes demolished under plans to clear hundreds of miles of illegally built houses.
Around one million Brits live in Spain for all or part of the year and many have discovered - only after purchase - that their property was built illegally.
Under Spanish law, beaches are public property and construction is banned within 100 metres of the shoreline, but builders and local authorities have continually flouted the legislation and 100,000 homes are illegally built, according to official figures.
Now, the Spanish Government wants to demolish homes, chalets, hotels and swimming pools along a 480-mile stretch of coastline. The areas involved are those most popular with Brits, from Barcelona in the north to Marbella in the south, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands.
Ignoring the law
"Spanish law says that developments must not be erected within 100 metres of the coastline - obviously many developers (and the regional authorities that sanctioned the building) have ignored the law and built anyway," said Jo Roberts, director of needanadviser.co.uk, which has offices in the UK and Spain.
Brits have purchased tens of thousands of properties along the Spanish Mediterranean coastline, pumping billions of pounds into the Spanish economy, but the high demand is ruining previously unspoilt areas.
Roberts says if demolition goes ahead, the Spanish economy will lose a chunk of revenue because a lot of the properties are hotels. However, if the law is changed to allow the properties to remain, it could cause problems for coastal building in the future.
Useful links:
|
Send Article by Email
Send Article by IM
Blog This with Y! 360
Printable View