On Tuesday, Palma town hall inspectors will have police protection when they go to Son Banya to check on illegal work that has been carried out at the shanty town.
It is some years now since the decision was taken to demolish all dwellings in Son Banya, notorious for being at the centre of the drugs trade not just in Palma but the whole of Mallorca.
While there have been demolitions, there is evidence of shanties having been rebuilt. In addition, a form of fortification has appeared without the authorities seemingly having been able to do anything to stop this.
Excavators and other equipment were brought in to flatten land, make foundations and to install metal perimeter fencing as well as a new entrance designed to make it easier for people to purchase drugs. There are small LED spotlights at the access point as well as large wooden panels to shield the shanty town from view.
Town hall sources say: "The first thing we will do is check all the alterations made, verify that they have been carried out on public land and demolish any illegal work."
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This headline should have been published on April 1st . Son Banya has been there happily hanging on since before I arrived 40+ years ago and its not going anywhere anytime soon. The real April Fools are the staff on this paper who could not manage one measly joke headline for our " dia de los innocentes". Talk about how times thet are a'changin.
Typical, as soon as the gypos show a bit of foresight the authorities want to pull it down. This mornings news is that since the construction, with lights leading in and out for clients, this Easter has been a bumper season in Son Banya. Clients are up 70% with the increased ease of access and privacy . True entrepreneurship.