Demolition of Illegal Homes in Almeria Have Begun
The Junta de Andalusia has begun executing a judicial order which will result in the demolition of 17 illegally built homes, constructed mostly for English senior citizens. The homes were built mainly in rural zones and constructed without the necessary approvals. The first home to be bulldozed was a villa standing on 1 hectare (appx. 2.47 acres) of land in Loma de Vera, Vera. Five more homes in Vera are also to fall and another 11 homes are scheduled for demolition in Albox.
It is believed there are more judicial orders in existence that will effect homes in other rural regions of Almeria. The majority of these in the Almanzora Valley where there are purported to be thousands of illegally built homes. Most of these homes are standing on large parcels of land that have been sub-divided into small plots of between 1,000 and 3,000 square metres. Parcels of this size usually only receive building permissions for small sheds for the purpose of storing agricultural implements.
Similar situations have also been found in other regions that are in fact under special protection, including the Sierra Nevada region. Some of these illegal homes are allegedly being promoted by councilors that currently still hold positions in the Ayuntamiento de Almeria.
The illegal home crisis in Almeria is being carefully monitored by the English media, who have been portraying the crisis as an act of aggression towards the English expatriates living in Spain. One major outcome of this battle between the proprietors of these homes and the administration has been an investigation by the representatives of the European Parliament, which was instigated by way of a petition to the Europeans Parliament's Committee on Petitions. After visiting the affected areas, the representatives indicated that the primary responsibility should lie with the Ayuntamientos that have permitted these illegal constructions.
Other provinces in Andalusia have also commenced enforcing demolition orders for homes that have been built under similar circumstances.
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Article First Published: Thursday, 10th January 2008, 14:03 CET
Last Updated: Saturday, 12th January 2008, 08:09 CET
Author: Albox News Rover
