Rob Horgan
THE former mayor of Almeria, Federico Molina, is in the dock as the fate of 29 foreign-owned homes goes to court.
Molina, his partner Antonio Penuela, and three former councillors, face charges of building on protected land in the Retamar residential development in 2006.
Prosecutors now want to demolish the 29 villas, owned by 17 foreign investors most of whom are British.
The court will hear that Molina’s ‘administrative silence’ allowed building to go ahead although he knew that it was illegal.
The prosecutors will also be attempting to force the development’s promoter, Amador M.M, into paying compensation to the 17 buyers who unknowingly bought the illegal properties.
Owner of Residential Retamar, Amador could also be deemed legally responsible for providing the €134,000 needed to demolish the houses and restore the land.
Last month, a decision to change the law meant expats who unknowingly bought illegally-built property would receive compensation if their home was demolished.
It is unclear whether the law will come into effect in time for this case.
There are an estimated 300,000 illegally built homes in southern Spain, many of which were snapped up by foreign buyers in the late 2000s.
He and his cohorts will get a slap on the wrist (if another judge doesn’t throw the charges out first) but 29 owners will lose their property either without or a very long wait for compensation.
Here we go again, they just can’t stop themselves and their love affair with the bulldozer continues. These properties may well be illegal but under the circumstances and all things considered, wouldn’t it be better to let well alone? What will demolishing these properties actually achieve and how will it help to kick start the property market and the economy? I wonder what effect this will have on Spain’s already dubious reputation with regards to properly laws? If these demolitions go ahead, foreign investors will take fright and it will be yet another own goal.
What’s done is done and what is needed is a damage limitation exercise followed by the introduction of workable and enforceable laws. I can’t believe this madness is kicking off again.
Look on the bright side, if they knock enough down it should get the economy going building new builds :)
But nobody will want to buy them – small matter of.
Mad as hatters, the lot of them……..”It (the new law) may not be in time”, no surprises there then…….If those accused have no (declared) funds, then there will be no compensation because the Ayuntamiento won’t pay……and, what a great way to re-build confidence in potential ex pat buyers……It beggars belief.