planning register in Spain

Does anyone know if there are such things as local planning registers where anyone can look up what planning applications have been made, how they are progressing, objections made, when granted, etc? We often remark to Spanish friends about seeing houses going up in unlikely places and they all mutter darkly about friends in high places, money changing hands, etc....but when I've asked well, can't you just look at the local planning register, they haven't a clue what I'm talking about. One certainly never sees any notices pinned to lamp posts, etc informing about proposed developments, asking for comments, etc. 

Dear GuyT, what you speak of does exist in the Town Hall Planning Department and probably whilst there may be a right of public access to the information, generally one can enquire about a specific area that the person is thinking of buying/has bought to see what has been planned, but the information is only likely to be valid at that particular time, ie, land can be reclassified etc, sold and bought and permissions could be pending for the future, so there is no 100% guarantee that the current situation will remain the same forever. Likewise, how up o date the information is, may mean you may not get the assurances that one may be seeking. Always remember Spain is different. Good Luck.

Thanks, argarcia, for your helpful reply

"Always remember Spain is different".

How could one ever forget? ha, ha.