Municipal authorities and property developers are already having a difficult time building houses due to the lack of credit available to them and an absence of buyers for all the homes, but the new decree by the Junta de Andalucia could make the situation a lot worse as it threatens planned future projects to construct another 10,000 houses that nobody wants.
The decree basically stops construction on urban and other land within 500 metres of the coast and the Axarquia is the worst hit by this new measure. The decree came into force with immediate effect and even mayors of the same political persuasion as the regional government expressed surprise that the measure was taken without consultation with any of the affected municipalities.
In Torrox, there are plans to build around 5,000 houses, mostly in Calaceite, El Peñoncillo, El Morche and near the future marina. The mayor of Torrox, Francisco Muñoz, is hoping that the measure does not affect the planned golf course in Calaceite.
Rincón de la Victoria has plans for 2,000 homes within 500 metres of the coast, particularly in Torre de Benagalbón.
Nerja, which recently abandoned plans to update its PGOU, is planning to build around 1,000 homes at El Playazo, la Vega de Tetuán and Punta Lara, all within 500 metres of the sea. However, it is thought that the planned new promenade, tourist apartments and hotels for the El Playazo beach area may fall outside the new decree as they are ‘tourism’ related. Then again, they may not.
Nerja Council is studying the decree in order to try and evaluate exactly which developments will be affected.
The decree will affect a total of 15 sectors in Vélez-Málaga and the construction of around 2,000 houses that nobody wants, mostly in Benajarafe and Almayate.
Other municipalities are still evaluating the decree to see how it will affect them. One thing is for certain, it is already causing a lot of doubt and confusion and will no doubt lead to much wrangling and conflicting interpretations.