illegally built homes in Andalucía to be allowed to remain standing

The new decree from the Junta de Andalucía however says that they will never be made legal

The new decree being prepared by the Junta de Andalucía on the isolated illegal properties built across the region will allow the buildings to remain, but says that they will never be declared legal. The decree intends to bring order to a reality, but notes that the law cannot allow the properties to be made legal.

El País reports the new decree will apply to properties which have been built for at least four years, provided they are not constructed in areas of outstanding beauty or in river beds where extra protection orders are in place.

Such properties can continue to be used and lived in as long as a series of basic requirements on health and safety are met.
Under the new decree local Town Halls will issue ‘a resolution of recognition’ for the properties. However with the lack of legality it means that no first occupancy licence can ever be issued, and that means the property will lack certain protection in criminal proceedings, for example in boundary disputes or in cases of compulsory purchase.

Also the owners of such property will be prohibited from carrying out any building work, other than renovation strictly necessary for reasons of safety.

The properties will have to be connected to basic services, and when they are too isolated they will have to have autonomous supplies paid for by the owners. The property owners will also have to pay a tax to the local Town Hall to obtain the ‘resolution of recognition’. Such resolutions will have to be issued within six months after an application is made and the owners will have to pay for any works to bring their properties into the boundaries of the new legislation.
Only properties constructed more than four years ago are eligible.

In the Axarquía and Almanzora valley alone as many as 25,457 illegal homes have been counted, and it is estimated that 89% of them will fall into the new legislation. In Andalucía as a whole the number of illegally built properties is estimated to be between 300,000 and 500,000.

Earthquake in Alicante province on Monday

There was an earthquake at 3.8 on the Richter scale was recorded at 0054 on Monday morning with the epicentre at Algueña, in inland Alicante province.

There are no reports of any injuries of structural damage according to the Guardia Civil and the Emergency Coordination Centre of the Valencia regional government.

The epicentre was at a depth of 11 kms at 38.34ºN and 0.1º E.
An hour or so later there was another tremor in Abanilla, Murcia which measured 1.6 on the Richter scale.

Last month also saw tremors in Santa Pola in Alicante on the 8th and 14th measuring 1.9 and 1.4 on the Richter scale.

 

20,000 breathalyser tests in Spain next week

The DGT traffic authority is running 20,000 breathalyser tests across the country from Monday to next Sunday, as part of a general campaign against drink driving.

It will see members of the Federation of Spinal Court Injury Association accompany the Tráfico officers at more than 1,000 control points being set up on the roads. They will remind drivers ‘in situ’ of the very serious consequences that can result from drink driving.

In 2010 the Guardia Civil handed out 102,000 fines for positive breathalyser tests, and 16,000 were considered to have committed a crime for their high levels of alcohol. 42% of the drivers who died in traffic accidents last year tested positive for alcohol, drugs or psychotropic drugs.

 

Dating agency hangs a picture of the King in Gran Via

A dating agency which promotes being unfaithful has gained the attention of the mainstream media and of twitter users in Spain after they covered the front of a building in Gran Via the centre of Madrid with a poster.

Ashley Madison hung the poster on Friday. It shows three unfaithful men, Prince Charles, Bill Clinton and, more controversially for the Spanish, King Juan Carlos. The caption reads – ‘What do these ‘royals’ have in common?’ – The answer is they should have used Ashley Madison.

The company offers you the chance to be unfaithful in the most discrete way possible, without leaving a trace and at the modest price of 49 €, which allows you to make 20 contacts. The company says it already has 47,831 members in Spain, and over 10 million in the world.

Founder Noel Biderman has said that they hope to reach 250,000 members in Spain by the end of this year. Last Sunday they showed their first TV ad in Spain with the message, ‘Life is short. Have an adventure’.

 

MALAGA’S prostitutes are demanding that the City Hall complete the preparation of the plot they were promised so they can move there

MALAGA’S prostitutes are demanding that the City Hall complete the preparation of the plot they were promised so they can move there and abide by municipal laws. Malaga City Hall has promised to fix access routes and install bins and better lighting.