AUAN issues an open letter over demolitions in Spain
The following is an open letter issued by the AUAN (Abusos Urbanisiticos Almanzora No)
The outrageous demolition of the expats home at Vera should surely have concentrated the minds of everyone in the area to the dangerous situation in which many of us live at the moment. Anyone who thinks, because they have a 'certificate of first occupation', that they are safe, should read again that those unfortunate residents at Vera also held that very same document. What makes a home safe in these troubling times? Only, it seems, if your house is on the PGOU! Is your house on the PGOU? No, we don't mean the vague 'soon to be produced PGOU' with your house promised to be on it! We mean 'is it on a Junta approved urbanised area within the PGOU?' Nothing else appears to be safe.
The AUAN is preparing to lobby the new government that will be formed after the forthcoming elections. We will continue to apply pressure on the Spanish Government through whatever peaceful means is available to us, including the media. The problems we are experiencing are being experienced all over Spain, and we are talking to similar associations that are also campaigning for a resolution to them. Together our voice will be louder.
According to the Economists, there is trouble ahead in the World economy. Do the Spanish government really think that the rumbling of JCBs knocking down houses, bought in good faith, will improve the future economy of Spain? The demolition of one house has sent a huge ripple of concern through the International community and aroused intense interest from the international media. There are reputedly 1600-2000 illegal properties in the Almanzora Valley. The authorities seem to have happily condoned, or turned a blind eye to, the building of homes worth 100s of millions of €s. Does the government plan to demolish them all in the expectation that there will be no cost to the community as a whole? We in the AUAN believe that the administrations concerned have the moral and legal obligation to seek a solution to this issue if they wish to see continued foreign investment in this beautiful region of Spain. We ask that they act quickly to deliver on their promises through the PGOUs and the Sub Regional Plans.
Finally, the AUAN has no reason to believe that demolitions happen because the Junta is persecuting foreigners. Spanish homes were demolished, near Cordoba, in December 2007. This is a problem for everybody, brought about by the negligent actions of administrations and some developers.
The AUAN will continue to press for an equitable solution to the problem.
More information about the AUAN can be found here
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Article First Published: Sunday, 2nd March 2008, 23:22 CET
Last Updated: Sunday, 2nd March 2008, 23:27 CET
Author: AUAN Committee
