Big rise in Balearic building

DURING the last eight years some 40 percent more buildings have been constructed on the Balearics than have been built throughout its entire history.
Throughout the whole of Spain the figure is 25 percent, according to the director general of the Spanish Ministry for Housing's Town Planning and Policy department, Marcos Vaquer. The Ministry's representative confirmed that housing prices had risen by 150 times what it used to be and the price of land had risen by 500 times since the Land Law of 1998 came into force, figures which, in his opinion, justified the approval of the State Law of Land, Valuations and Housing, which is at the moment progressing through Parliament. Vaquer is attending the Balearic College of Architect's five day conference on town planning, focussed on the draft law presented to Parliament by the Spanish Cabinet aimed at increasing openness on town planning policies to stop corruption, and to reduce speculation. Also present at the opening ceremony of the conference were the dean of the College, Luis Antonio Corral, and the leader of the Balearic Government, Jaume Matas, who warned that the proposed law should take into account that the economy of the Balearics is based on tourism. “It is necessary to reach the best agreement with the autonomous regions because the Constitution says that these are the people who have the power in matters of town planning and the Spanish Government can only regulate circumstantial aspects”, said Matas. At the same time, the leader of the Balearic Government said that a “careful” analysis should be done of the effect this project could have on the Balearics, to avoid “negative” economic repercussions, especially in the tourist sector, the driving force of the Balearic economy.