I am not sure that Jeremy is right about completing the building before the law change.
To my best knowlege and belief the granting of building liceses on rural land has ALWAYS been conditional to the building being destined for agricultural purposes - making viviendas illegal!
Another point here is that there is another law which prevents the demolition if not detected within 4 years but I'm not sure how that one works.
The only way to resolve such irregularities is for the Town Hall to change the PGOU so that the area affected comes within the Casco Urbano.
This is what they are trying to do in Cartral (Alicante) and in Marbella - In order to avoid as many demolitions as possible!
I have written
an article about illegal building in Spain which explains the situation in detail.
I have also provided an
English translation of the report issued by Region Government of Andalusia to the European Parliment about the Vera (Almeria) demolition.
The report is extremely enlightening, if you believe it, because the Regional Government says that THEY demolished the house.
The court ordered Vera Town Hall to do it and they refused THREE times. Finally the court ordered the Junta to do it.
However, it did not even end there as the Priors sent a fax refusing access to their property.
The court then ordered the Junta to enter the property in order to execute the demolition order but, when they arrived, it was still full of the owners furniture and personal belongings.
The demolition was delayed whilst the house was emptied and proceeded at 15:00 on 9th January.
Mr Prior, who suffers from a heart condition, collapsed and an ambulance was called. Fortunately he was later discharged.
The town Hall of Vera has provided a house for the Priors "for as long as they need it".
The report by the Junta to the European Parliment informs that the Priors could sue the Town hall for damages.
The court filed a dununcia with the public prosecutor for contempt and disobedience.
Can anyone imagine what the Priors went through on that day?
Their home in Vera probably represented the baulk of their life savings and, witnessing it's destruction must have been like watching the execution of a friend or relative.
There have already been other demolitions of illegal buildings and there could be more to follow.
Homefinder
