Proposed amnesty for Malaga's 50,000 illegally built properties

A planning amnesty has been proposed for 50,000 illegal properties in the Malaga province of Andalucia. The planning amnesty has been suggested by a regional branch of Spain's Popular Party (PP).

Andulucia's Malaga province has suffered from "relentless growth in the number of illegally built homes" and politicians now recognise that a solution to the issue must be found, reports Spanish Property Insight. 8,000 of the properties that would be covered by the proposed amnesty are in the Mijas municipality.

While the PP has suggested an amnesty for the illegally built properties in Malaga, the PSOE party (which controls Andalucia's regional government in Seville) opposes any mass legislation. The PP argues that a blanket approach to legalising rural properties would avoid unnecessary demolitions.

"The problem with demolitions as a solution is that the Government of Andalucia probably can't afford it," the website argues. According to cbnalmeria.com demolitions can cost between €30,000 and €36,000 each, which would be primarily covered by the government, as home owners "would never pay" for them.

However, it is pointed out that although home owners are obliged to pay demolition charges if their property is illegally built, retired expatriates on a UK pension below the Spanish minimum wage of €600 per month would be exempt from paying the costs.

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