Valle de Almanzora mayors propose changes to Junta decree

SEVERAL Town Halls in the Valle del Almanzora have request that houses be restored and tourist areas be created as part of the Junta de Andalucia decree to legalize properties.

The decree which the Council of Public Works is preparing, and which affects almost 11,800 houses in the area alone, has been published for public consideration, and several of the town halls have made suggestions regarding some articles which they have now made known to the Junta de Andalucia.

The decree may be approved before the end of the year.

The Mayor of Albanchez, Francisco Martinez, explained that one of the most important suggestions had been to propose the a new classification for buildings which are accepted although they break urban planning laws, such as mills which are not used, but which could be made into tourist attractions or even homes.

Meanwhile, the Mayor of Lubrin, Domingo Ramos, requested that all buildings which have been identified as illegally built be able to undergo repairs, whatever state they are in. He says this is especially important in his town as there are some 500 historical buildings whose owners can’t afford to repair them, and he believes there should be grants of some kind so this can go ahead.

Cristobal Garcia, the Mayor of Arboleas, said that the Junta’s proposed decree had “little value” as in their case the illegal houses were part of urbanizations near the town, but that they would be able to legally get water and electricity. Therefore, they have requested that municipal laws also be allowed to change so that they could legalise the houses.

The mayors of Oria, Cantoria, Fines and Lijar say they were not aware that a meeting had been held with Public Works Delegation, but that they had met with the Abusos Urbanisticos Almanzora-No (AUAN) group to deal with some of the articles in the decree, which in their case leaves many aspects unsolved.

By Jennifer Leighfield