Flooding in Porto Cristo, Mallorca

Recent flooding in Porto Cristo. | MDB

Andrew EdePalma14/11/2024 09:12
TW
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Environmentalists GOB say that owners of illegal homes on land prone to flooding in the Balearics have started the process to legalise these homes out of fear that an imminent change in the law will leave them with no option to do so.

The administrative simplification decree, which allows legalisation even if homes are in flood zones, has been in force since May. GOB believe that, while changes to this decree are being negotiated, there will be a loophole in the number of licence requests in order to avoid the consequences of possible changes.

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In the case of Palma, the GOB president, Margalida Ramis, says that nine requests were received in just five days. GOB have yet to receive responses for information from other town halls but are convinced there will be more requests.

The spokesperson for the PSOE opposition in the Balearic Parliament, Iago Negueruela, wants to know how many applications for legalisation in flood zones have been submitted since the administrative simplification decree came into force on 28 May.

The government and opposition are meanwhile hopeful of reaching agreement on amending the decree and therefore limiting or completely eliminating the possibility of authorising new development in flood zones. However, the government continues to favour legalisation of homes in flood zones with a series of conditions for the owners. These would include the obligation to record the fact that the home is in a flood zone in the register. The opposition flatly rejects this possibility.