LAND ABUSE ADMISSION
Regional government finally admits its blame over land-grab projects in the past
IN A GROUND-BREAKING statement, Valencia regional government councillor Isabel Bonig has admitted that 'abuses' linked to the construction industry have occurred in the region. Councillor for infrastructure, land and the environment Isabel Bonig claimed this week that the new five-in-one LOTUP land law 'guarantees' that there will be no more such wrongdoing.
Previously the Valencia government had maintained on numerous occasions that town planning in the region was 'exemplary' - even during the boom years when so-called landgrab cases were denounced regularly.
And this, despite the fact that Costa Blanca-based protest group Abusos Urbanísticos No (AUN) was set up more than a decade ago precisely to fight the corner of homeowners who found they were victims of all sorts of nightmares, including land grab and illegal building.
Continues from front page Sra Bonig claimed that the new law sets out a different model of development.
"It introduces the necessary tools to ensure that there are no more abuses," she stated.
Sra Bonig claimed that the LOTUP ' increases judicial security by including the rulings from the latest court judgments'.
"It also protects the rights of property owners and their relations with a developer," she said.
She noted that the collapse of the construction industry had given the regional government a window of opportunity to 'reflect' on the aspects of legislation that 'have generated the most problems'.
Sr Bonig also stated that the LOTUP will help with the recuperation of the sector, because it introduces initiatives designed to give a shot in the arm to construction.
Reacting to Sra Bonig's comments, vicepresident of AUN Charles Svoboda told CBNews: "Bonig isn't the first in the sorry line of those in her position to admit there have been abuses.
"It has been of course always the fault of someone else or some other entity or even level of government."
He noted that it was not the builders who were at the core of the problems, as they were 'hangers on, and as often as not, positively for the economy'.
"The truly offensive ones in the process were and still are the 'developers' and speculators in cahoots with corrupt mayors, town councils and officials who pocketed the bulk of the ill gotten gains without giving anything back - not even workers' wages. Much of their shady gains fled Spain forever."
Mr Svoboda added that the LOTUP law is not the 'panacea'.
"It potentially leaves property owners in a more vulnerable position since the time to react is shortened," he stated.
"The senior courts are getting better as we have seen for example here in Benissa with regard to the Town Plan and even a number of PAI plans that have been struck down. But that's far from granting the sort of 'juridical' security that Bonig promises."