Building to be allowed within 100 metres of Orihuela coast
The new development rule is one of “the darkest policies” applied to the Costa Blanca, according to the opposition
There’s been plenty of back and forth recently with the Valencian government’s plans for building and development along the region’s coastlines, which has understandably made homeowners a little nervous, so the latest news coming from head office isn’t going to be very welcome.
In a decree approved this week, the administration has relaxed the urban planning regulations on the Costa Blanca. In the past, the rule was that no hotels or tower blocks could be built within 500 metres of the beach, which is a fairly respectable no-build zone to protect views. But now, this limit has been returned to a much closer 100-metre buffer zone.
However, residents needn’t panic just yet, as regional secretary Cayetano García has assured that the government won’t allow just any buildings to be erected along the coast. He explained that hotels will still need to be at least 200 metres back, and that the 100- to 200-metre zone will only be for removable elements like beach bars and clubs.
Therefore, “in no case and in no circumstances” will developers be allowed to build on the first line of the beach.
Quite understandably, not everyone is happy about the changes. Several local politicians are crying foul, accusing the government of using the law to allow unpopular developments in “through the back door”, creating high-rise skylines that will destroy the beauty of the area.
“The PP is returning to the predatory urban planning of old,” scathed councillor José Muñoz, who is convinced that the simplification of the law “hides many more things.”
It is one of “the darkest policies” ever approved by this government, he added.
On the very opposite end of the spectrum, renewable energy association Avaesen is delighted with the new regulation, as these parameters will potentially allow the construction of more than 400 renewable energy projects which, until now, have been placed on the backburner.
In other news: Orihuela Costa beaches clogged with smelly seaweed
Image: GVA
Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin and get an email with all the week’s news straight to your inbox
Special offer: Subscribe now for 25% off (36.95 euros for 48 Bulletins)
OR
you can sign up to our FREE weekly roundup!
Read some of our recent bulletins:
25% Discount Special Offer subscription:
36.95€ for 48 Editor’s Weekly News Roundup bulletins!
Please CLICK THE BUTTON to subscribe.
(List price 3 months 12 Bulletins)
Read more stories from around Spain:
