Keith Wildman and Carole Saunders study maps of the Calpe shore.

Coastal Homes Under Siege

Frightened householders living on the Mediterranean coast are under siege as their property is stamped ‘illegal’ under Spain’s controversial Coastal Law.
Designed to protect an increasingly fragile coastline, Madrid has begun to enforce the 1988 Ley de Costas using the complex legislation to act retrospectively on buildings within set boundaries moving inland from the shoreline.

Largely overshadowed by the well-publicised scandals of Valencia’s so-called ‘land grab’ laws, the problems of illegal building, town hall corruption and damage to the Spanish environment through large-scale construction, the Coastal Law is viewed as another attack on the rights of property owners who bought homes in good faith.
However, the report on property abuses in Spain penned earlier this year for the European Parliament by Danish MEP Margrete Auken both highlighted the problem and criticised the Coastal Law – calling for the legislation to be urgently reviewed.
And the politician, who visits the Costa Blanca later this month to meet property owners, warned how at worst it could lead to “arbitrary destruction and demolition” of legally acquired property.
One of the greatest problems is that many property owners are not aware of the situation along the coast.

RURAL
Under the current law, a boundary is drawn 20 metres from the shore in urban areas and 100 metres inland in rural areas. Thousands of homes around Spain are understood to be judged illegal under the 100 metre rule.
Surveyors from central government’s Ministry of the Environment are scheduled to visit the coastal resort of Calpe between September 22nd and 24th to update plans drawn up as long ago as 2002.
The municipality has 15,800 metres of coastline and it is understood more than 1,000 homes, hotels, bars and restaurants could be affected under the strict terms of the coastal law.
And while public meetings staged by Calpe Town Hall have not heard of the destruction of property, privately, politicians have admitted “some property” could be demolished.
Keith Wildman, President of the Association of Foreign Property Owners, told Round Town News the uncertainty of the situation “is causing a lot of worry.”
He added: “At present no-one is talking about demolition but try and sell your property when it is marked on official documents that it is illegal – it will put off any potential buyer.

SUDDEN
“We have legal homes suddenly declared illegal and I cannot see Madrid suddenly saying that compensation will be available.”
He said AFPO had obtained a copy of the existing plans and could advise on property falling in the two boundaries – some, including a hotel, actually cut in half by the perimeters.
“Madrid is obviously under considerable pressure to act from green organisations and from Europe. It is in all the newspapers, the coast becoming a concrete jungle but this is badly thought out.”
The local authority, which has no direct power to decide the policy, has already set up a helpdesk at Calpe Town Hall to offer advice.
The council is preparing an appeal to Madrid calling for its entire coast to be classed as urban and only subject to the 20 metre rule – but it is understood individual property owners along the coast must prepare their own individual or group actions.
Environmentalist and local independent politician Carole Saunders said even if homes were not demolished, owners would have to apply direct to Madrid for permission to refurbish or rebuild their homes.

HALF
She said one Spanish owner had told the town hall the value of his home had halved “overnight” as speculation mounted over the impact of the law – while many people knew nothing of the growing crisis.
Ironically, she said the Coastal Law would protect the future of Las Salinas, the salt water wetland that was home to a number of rare animal species.
“On the one hand, the environment is being protected at long last – but it is like everything else, you cannot do that properly without protecting the rights of property owners and offering proper compensation,” said Carole.
“People have purchased property in good faith over the years, suddenly legal homes are judged to be illegal.
“The idea might be to protect a fragile coastline but this is shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.”
And town councillor Antonia Avargues said the Coastal Law was creating a “horrific situation” for property owners and confidence in the town hall could nosedive.
“This is a huge problem because it affects the whole of the coastline of Spain,” she added.