Hotels

Town halls' bureaucracy slowing down hotel building projects

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma05/10/2018 16:27

According to the Majorcan college of quantity surveyors, investment in building projects for the tourism industry (hotels) has decreased from 155 million euros over the January to September period last year to 107 million for the first nine months of 2018. The main reason for this, it is said, is a slowing-down of procedures to grant building permission by town halls. Licences can take up to eighteen months to obtain. These apply to redevelopment as well as to any new building.

Last year, 88 projects received permission between January and September. This number has fallen to 67, although it is expected to increase this month. Over the nine months of 2017, three new hotels were built - two in Palma and one in Ses Salines - and had a combined investment of 9.7 million euros. This year there are four and these have an investment of 53.3 million. They include a five-star in Camp de la Mar.

The vice-president of the Majorca Hoteliers Federation, María José Aguiló, says that many projects are being held up because of town hall bureaucracy. This is a problem, she stresses, which needs to be sorted out, as it has "a negative impact on redevelopment".

The Balearic builders association believes that delays stem from the government's reform of aspects of the tourism law last year. There is some concern about the level of building activity this winter and therefore about jobs.