El País highlights foreigners affected by the Spanish Coastal Law
larger | smaller
By h.b. - Oct 20, 2008 - 8:12 AM
The paper explains how both Spaniards and foreigners who purchased coastal property before 1988 can not sell it as it is expropriated by the Spanish state.

The United Kingdom and Germany have asked Spain for explanations for what they consider to be abusive expropriations of property owned by their subjects in Spain. Britain has already asked for information from both the Spanish Foreign Minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, and the Spanish ambassador.

The case is highlighted in today’s edition of El País, and looks as homes which now face demolition under the Ley de Costas, Coastal Law, which came into force in 1988, but which has not really been applied to any extent until 2004 which the arrival of Cristina Narbona as Minister for the Environment.

Thousands of Spaniards and foreigners who have homes on the front line of beaches across the country now face losing their properties. Under the law they can use them for at least 30 years, but they cannot sell or extend them, and they need special permission to carry out any type of reforms. The paper concentrates on the case of the Briton Cliff Carter and others at the La Casbah urbanisation in El Saler in Valencia.

A statement from the Ministry of the Environment says that they have no intention of changing the current legislation.

The British consuls are reported to be recommending British citizens to complain to the Defensor del Pueblo, the Spanish ombudsman, or to take their case to the European Parliament which has already been informed of the problem. Britain says she understands that Spain wants to limit construction along the coast, but they do not share the method by which they are expropriating property, considering that it affects those who have purchased in good faith.

The Ley de Costa establishes that the coastline land defined as ‘dominio público marítimo terrestre’ can see no homes or swimming pools, but that those built before 1988 will move into state ownership but will give the owners a 30 year use of the property, which can be extended to 60 years in some cases.

Click here for related stories

 mobile |  email this article |  printer friendly page

 del.icio.us |  digg |  technorati |  yahoo | Stumble It!
Facebook | Reddit | Newsvine | Meneame | Wikio
Blink | Google | Fresqui | MSN reporters | Live Spaces
My Space | Fark | Mixx | Twitter

Spain News : National

Readers' comments:
Please keep to the subject. Opinions published here are of our visitors, not the Typically Spanish team. Comments which go against Spanish laws or which are libellous are not allowed. We reserve the right to delete any comment we wish. Placing a comment indicates you have read our terms and conditions and privacy policy .

Por favor, céntrate en el tema. Son las opiniones de los internautas, y no las de Typically Spanish. No está permitido verter comentarios contrarios a las leyes españolas o injuriantes. Reservado el derecho a eliminar los comentarios que consideremos fuera de tema. Escribir un comentario indica que has leído nuestros condiciones de uso y politica de privacidad .