Imogen Calderwood
LUXURY housing in Malaga’s so-called ‘Golden Triangle’ is leading the way in the resurrection of the construction industry.
The ‘Golden Triangle’, made up of Marbella, Estepona and Benahavis, is seeing an increase in both the sales of homes and in the construction of luxury housing.
During January and February of this year, Marbella Town Hall has seen an increase of 20% in the licences for luxury homes.
So far the town hall has authorised licences for 18 new housing projects with a combined worth of over €9million.
If construction carries on at this pace, the number of projects for 2014 could be double that of last year, which ended with a total of 64 licences issued.
But Pablo Moro, the councillor in charge of town-planning in Marbella, emphasises the need for caution in analysing the data.
“What we are seeing in this data is that the growth curve from last year is continuing,” said Mr Moro.
According to data provided by the Malaga College of Architects, in the period between January 1 2012 and the current date, 119 houses have been built with a building cost of more than €300,000.
Of these housing projects, 62% were in Marbella, with the rest in Benahavis, Estepona, Manilva and Ojen, and two in Antequera.
The majority of homes were built by British, Scandinavian and other European buyers.
Oh yeah, and how long will take the Junta de Andalucia to force the town hall to revoke these building licences and then issue a demolition order? 10 years perhaps?
They will no doubt wait until the building has been completed, builders, arhitects, lawyers, taxes etc. have all been paid and the place has been sold and fully kitted out and then they will pounce.
Good luck with that.
Lou, the major of Marbella who created those kind of situations a decade ago is dead and his successor is in jail. They created an independent party called GIL to allow illegal constructions in exchange of money. Of course, Junta de Andalucía did right because they were out of law. Since those years, situation is completely different and all the eyes are watching for legality in this area so please dont create innecessary alarm.
Too bad that the Junta de Andalucia can’t grow some and legalise all the so called illegal properties in the countryside. While they are still in power in Seville, everybody needs to worry.
People in Almeria and Axarquia thought they were safe too until the Junta came along years later and revoked their building licences. People have every right to voice these concerns, they affect everybody connected with property in Andalucia. If, as you say, the Junta “did right” in your particular case then that is a first.
In most cases (I know there are exceptions), I don’t blame the mayors, they were just doing their jobs i.e. trying to inject capital into their local area in order to create jobs and growth. I blame the Junta de Andalucia for all the problems surrounding planning laws so get rid of the current administration at the Junta and you get rid of the problem. If the Junta had done the right thing and granted an amnesty for the rural properties instead of issuing demolition orders, things would have calmed down by now and we would not be having this conversation. So you see, it does affect everybody.
The current administration will be replaced with another set of similar minded people.
The Junta is the root of the problem in Andalusia going back decades.
We can’t merge different problems. First, in Marbella there was an organized group of independent politics allowing housing developments with dozens of apartments in areas where it was forbidden!! The reality is that Junta Andalucia has not demolished any of this buildings because if affects too many owners that bought them deceived by constructors. These local politics have been removed and most of them are in jail. Second problem, there are a lot of isolated houses in the country field at Axarquia or wherever were the owner is the responsible for building them in a forbidden area and they are being demolished slowly. Local majors in those towns are also involved in courts. The majors mission is not to get money from investors but first to law enforcement.
If you don’t like the law then change it but the law is what it is in Andalusia or in the Popular Republic of China and if you break it you have to pay. The Junta de Andalucia has to watch law complaince which is the same all over Spain.
Regarding Andalusia is going bak decades, please, look around or get some pictures from the past and compare. Unemployment is not a question of governments, it has to do with something deeper and will be hard to change.
Let’s just hope that the brits & so on who had them built to stay will have the decency to speak spanish & get citizenship.
Some estate agent speak going on here, no problems anymore, buy with confidence, no corruption now, all cleaned up, badies in jail now, laughable.
If you mean me you are completely wrong. I’m a software engineer and I just wanted to give my opinion. I’m native from Málaga and very close to what is happening here. I think corruption in Spain is a serious problem. The same than brits think corruption is a big problem in UK. Yes I agree, laughable.
“Let’s just hope that the brits & so on who had them built to stay will have the decency to speak spanish & get citizenship.”
Dixie, British residents in Spain don’t need to aquire citizenship. Where are you from? lol
Shucks, I take it all back. Andalucia is a screaming success, unemployment is not the fault of government, the Junta are marvellous and nothing can ever change for numerous deep and meaningful reasons – wow.
Oh and sorry, will all those nasty Brits who are having their houses “slowly” demolished (don’t you just love the “slowly” bit) please learn Spanish and take citizenship – sorry to the thousands of Spaniards who have flocked to the UK for work, this means you have to become British.
Congratulations Fran/Dixie, you have just scared off another few thousand foreigners who might have wanted to invest money in your country.
Well good luck with that and will the last person to leave please turn the light off.
Spain v UK with corruption, hahahaha.
Reap, read I know you can: “http://www.transparency.org.uk/corruption/statistics-and-quotes/uk-corruption”
Lou, you don’t explain anything, just use the words of others to create noise. Don’t u like my English? For sure it is better than your Spanish. If you have a magic receipt to create jobs just tell us, we’ll be glad to do it.
Just searching Google for “illegal builds UK”. There’s a guy who had an “illegal tree house” at position #2. #1 is about an illegal house in Spain lol.
Fran, if your views regarding the Junta de Andalucia and indeed the so called illegal country properties are that of the average Spaniard then there is not much chance of finding a solution is there? That fact of the matter is, the Junta were negligent and did not monitor what was going on in terms of building etc. Why did they wait for so long (10 years in many cases) before they took action, what were they doing all that time while all this building was going on? It is hard to believe that they did not notice over 100,000 so called illegal properties being built in the Axarquia alone. They could solve the entire problem by having an amnesty but they continually refuse to do so.
Do you think that demolishing these houses is the answer? How exactly do you think this helps the situation in terms of their reputation and encouraging inward investment to the region? What is their end game?
If they really feel that strongly about it and insist that these houses have to be demolished at all costs then they need to set up a compensation/repatriation program whereby they compensate people like the Helen and Len Prior and John and Jan Brooks to the value of their properties. Of course this could be rolled out region wide to include all the other houses they wish to demolish. It would be a very costly undertaking but I am sure they would consider it to be very worthwhile. That way, all the people affected would be compensated to the value of their properties and could move on and the Junta can go ahead with a massive demolition program. Job done.
The Olive Press comments section is always a forum for moany old bitter Brits. You give people the British a bad name. Whenever there is a positive news story on the local economy or real estate they like to post their poison. You are living in the past and need to fast forward to 2014. Things have changed and moved on as Fran mentioned. I live and work in the area and myself and many colleagues have experienced the best 6 months in business for many years. I would suggest to all those negative Olive Press posters that if you don´t like it here you stop reading the positive articles and either move back to England or get a hobby – get over any losses – It is in the past!! Thanks
Yes, it’s poison to post sensible replies like Jane’s above, who correctly asks for a compensation scheme and an amnesty on illegal builds. Samuel, why couldn’t you say that rather than the total crass response of “move back to the UK”.
Jane, my opinion is not the average of Spaniards is just mine. I’m quite sure that there are more Spanish owner with this problem than British ones, so don’t feel special in that way because you are one more in the list. I just checked numbers and it is not 100,000 properties in Axarquia but 10,000 which still is a big number but more accurate. I’ve been reading too how they fixed the problem in Marbella but sorry I don’t want to extend this discussion anymore. I wish you the best luck and encourage you to keep fighting in courts what you think is fair.
Fran, there is corruption in every Country, but Spain are in the top flight and corruption is vastly more widespread in Spain than the UK, I cna see you don’t live here to be thinking that. You come across it all the time in Spain. As for other postings asking us not to let any newbies know of any pitfalls, or described as negativity by some, that is how people get in this mess in the first place. People can help themselves to reduce the risk of buying an illegal property but it is a fact that thousands of illegal properties are out there, even mentioned by Fran and there are people desperate to sell these, even now. People need to carry out some basic checks if they really want to move there, they cannot rely on corrupt solicitors or estate agents to guide them down the correct path.
Fred, it’s because you do most certainly do like to poison most positive articles, exaggerating anything negative to the maximum, and yes you should also move back to the uk.
Samuel, if indeed your are referring to my post then there is a name for it. It is called the “inconvenient truth”. I should also point out that I am not that old, I am 42. How old are you?
If anyone needs to move on it is the Junta de Andalucia and your remarks would be better directed at them. Are you not aware that they could bring this whole situation to an end tomorrow but refuse to do so? I can only assume that you are some kind of apologist for them (god knows why) and do not care how badly other people are treated as long as it does not affect you or your business.
The problems with the so called illegal properties in the country are still very much alive and kicking and 17 building licences (with demolition to follow) were issued in Alcaucin in December 2013. In another part of the Axarquia, a British couple have been given a suspended prison sentence for so called illegal building (I hasten to add through no fault of their own) which they are in the process of appealing. You cannot bury something until it is dead so how can the people affected “move on”? I am somewhat baffled as to how one can move on from a situation like a future demolition order/suspended prison sentence and the prospect of being homeless in the near future.
However, if the Junta had an amnesty and/or a compensation scheme this would enable these people to move on would it not? If you were in their position, what would you do? Do you not think it is rather lame to merely suggest that these people return to the UK. Why should they keep quiet in case it damages your business. Thousands of people from all over Europe read these pages and they need to be aware of what goes on in Spain. Perhaps the Junta de Andalucia should have thought about that before they started bulldozing houses, it has come back and bitten them on the a***.
My property in Spain is not affected by this problem (yet) but I have friends who are and I intend to shout as loudly as I can to as many people as I can until they get justice. Life is not just about what you get out of it for yourself.
You may well think that people like me give the British a bad name but not nearly as much as the Junta de Andalucia gives Spain a bad name.
Fred, thank you.
Derek, jst get over it or move back to the UK, simples.
Fred,
You surprise me. I had a deluge of mail when I suggested that about the moaners…
Fran,
reap cannot read, he just talks dada.
Spain will NEVER pay any compensation. Spain only knows how to take & milk the system. It should not be forgotten that Spain collected massive taxes from property sales and at one stage was carrying world second largest surplus. While at the same time it did not stop Spain from milking the EU funds
Junta is a complete Mafia. They knew what was going on turned a blind eye in exchange for brown envelope.
“You surprise me. I had a deluge of mail when I suggested that about the moaners…”
That’s probably because everyone hates you, Caccia. lol.
Fred,
That must put us in the same boat then. Keep em’ coming, I just love em’.
No Caccia, not the same boat. You’re very much in your own boat on this one.
Fred: Yeah, a submarine preferably.
Fred,
Love it, keep em’ coming.
Stef,
Is that a proper name or a dance, can’t quite make it out.
To every moaner.
Could we please have the merits of living in Spain for a change, Ya know people quite happy living in legal villa’s, quite happy in living in legal flats and generally happy living a life in Spain. And as good ol’ Fred has stated:-
“jst get over it or move back to the UK, simples”.
DIXIE DENIS who are you to dictate to us, I would suggest you learn to speak english properly as your post didnt make much sense really.
I speak Spanish but if people choose not to whats it to you ?
The spanish still take our money whatever language we speak.
To anyone,
Does anyone know of someone that has recently purchased illegal property, if so all the writings on OP regarding this matter has had a negative effect. You just can’t help these type of people. So could we please in future have the merits of living in Spain made available, ya know, a nice glass of wine, a nice Spanish meal, relaxation in the sunshine, family visit’s (two weeks too long, upsets the routine) ya know what I mean or you would not be living here.
Sometimes i’m asked back in the U.K if I ever have a holiday, I just smile and say 52 weeks of the year.
Don’t feed the troll and it will die.
You always sound like petulant child responding to posts Fred. Why even bother?
You MUST be like this in real life?
‘I’ve just seen Fred!!.. quick! hide!’
You’re responding to posts too Derek. Why do you bother? I bother for the same reason you do, oh dense one. lol.
Derek,
Fred must be talking about himself. I only respond to what has been written, no trolling, it’s others that troll.
As poor old Fred states:-
“Don’t feed the troll and it will die”.
Ah well, the summer season is soon upon us and know doubt thousands of Brits will be choosing Spain for their holiday and once again hundreds or perhaps thousands will be wishing to purchase properties in Spain at the give-away prices.
Lets hope we read no more of persons purchasing wonderful illegal villas in the country and stick to purchasing a legal flat or whatever so as we don’t need to go through all this again.
The only advice one could give to anyone wishing to spend their life savings is to see the escritura of the property or at least a copy so that an interpreter can go through it to see if it is correct with inquires made at the Andalusian authorities as to any building restrictions. Then building permission, Architect and a good builder. There has been sufficient information in the English and Spanish press regarding illegal properties so I think it’s a waste of time all these write-ups regarding the unfortunate mishaps of people that don’t do their homework first and are quite content in taking chances on the hearsay of a seller.
Ya know the old sayings of estate agents and a private seller:-
“no need to worry, it’s been up 10 years and it’s safe, they dare not pull down”.