Chloe Glover (Reporter)
A CRACK team of experts has been formed in a bid to finally solve Marbella’s long-standing problem with illegal construction.
Four of Spain’s top urban planners hope to draft a new urban plan (PGOU) for the town, which still has to rely on an outdated plan from 1986.
They hope to put an end to 11 years of planning headaches, which intensified in 2015 due to a Supreme Court ruling.
The court deemed unfit for use a PGOU created in 2010 to help officials decide whether 33,000 buildings constructed illegally under former mayor Jesus Gil could remain.
The main jobs of planners Diego Vera, Luciano Parejo, Jose Maria Baño Leon and Manuel Rebollo Puig will be to try legalise some of the 30,000 existing buildings constructed illegitimately.
They will also try form a progressive PGOU for the future, which will cost at least €170,000 to put into action.
Once drafted and put out to tender, it is estimated it will take up to five years to become law.
This is due to having to be approved at several levels including the Junta.
Until then, the 1986 PGOU will remain in force.
The concept of the PGOE is a total joke. It’s basically drawing a line around a map whilst blindfolded to decide which area is legal and which is illegal. A PGOU in one town may have totally different rules to another, yet have identically built properties in terms of size, age and legal status.