This article was published in the Information news paper and on the Orihuela town hall web site on the 25th & 30th of may 2012.
The town planning councillor of Orihuela, Antonio Zapata, presented the first of the measures within the housing regularization Plan, which consists of a series of flights over the entire municipality, to reveal the actual reality of the amount of building that has taken place outside of the planning departments management.
The flights have been contracted with a specialized company, which will confirm the physical reality and the legal status of the buildings with or without planning permission within the municipality, “between these two realities as we can see no grey areas,” said Antonio Zapata, while showing some of the aerial photographs that had advanced by the company in charge of the work showing buildings, swimming pools and even buildings of considerable size, not only outside of the towns general plan but without any cadastral (rates) registration. The Mayor added “we see they are not registered at all.”
Zapata said that there are more than 12,000 homes which are out side the planning department’s management and catastral inscription in the coastal areas alone which are not paying rates to the detriment of other citizens in the municipality.
From the start and until the flights are completed within two months or so, the mayor commented, property owners will not be able to do anything until the scheduled office is opened in Calle Miguel Hernandez, whose staff will attend to all interested and affected by this issue.
This is a way the town hall can bring into order with many illegal extensions, pool homes built without proper planning permission and those that are not contributing in paying taxes and rates for these properties. We are living in times where local authorities need every penny and Spain has been so relaxed for many years and can no longer continue as before.
The comment by the mayor that “nothing can be done” is somewhat misleading. There are a few things that can be done to avoid fines by the rates office if your property is not registered. If you register your property there is an easy process which I have covered on a previous post which you can view here.
If it is your intention to sell your property it would be convenient to have all the elements of your property reflected in the deeds. It might be the case that your pool, extensions or house are not mentioned in the deeds. If you sell property you will be asked to have these elements previously added to the deeds. This also is an easy process which is covered in a previous post which you can view here.
If you need any help or advise concerning these issues please contact me.
You are able to disscuss these issues with the plannng councellor at the twon hall of Orihuela every tuesday for 11am to 1pm. You will need a translator and must ring for a apointment on Tel.: 96 673 73 30 EXT: 21