UM votes needed for final approval of moratorium

The moratorium on building approved by the Balearic government less than ten days ago must be approved by Parliament before it is brought into force, according to the stipulations of the planning laws. This means that the ruling Pact needs the votes of Maria Antonia Munar's Majorcan Union (UM) party to get it through Parliament. So, despite the speed with which initial approval was granted, the Pact will now have to negotiate with UM to have it ratified by Parliament. This must be done within six months. The moratorium affects both urban and rustic land, but UM has already announced that it will not vote in favour of restrictive measures in rustic land. The UM has not commented on the moratorium since the government gave its initial approval and Munar's party once again has the decisive vote on whether or not to support the government. Even before initial approval was given to the moratorium, the UM warned the government that it would not approve any more moratoria or restrictions on rustic ground. The UM, which dominates the Council of Majorca, had introduced a surprise moratorium just one week before the Balearic government approved its measures which, it says, completes the earlier one. It regulates building on rustic land, forcing town and village councils to grant a number of licences for housing on rustic land similar to those granted in the first six months of the year. It also restricts the number of licences granted for construction in urban land. The moratorium will be in force until the reforms to the master plan for development are approved, but it has established a series of exceptions, which include subsidised housing, refurbishment, the construction of pensioners homes or schools and exchanges, that is, demolishing a building to construct a new one. One of the problems facing the government is how to oblige town and village council to comply with the restrictions. The PP (conservative Popular Party) mayors have already criticised the moratorium, claiming that it erodes their functions and will lead to a considerable loss of income. The conservatives also see the moratorium as a reaction within the ruling Pact to the measures introduced by the Council of Majorca and an attempt to take the spotlight off it. The party has also complained that it was not consulted during the preparation of the moratorium.