The Telegraph 29 3 2011:

Expat Property

Spanish councillor tells expats they are 'responsible' for illegal houses

Expat victims of urban corruption in Spain have expressed outrage at comments made by a member of government who referred to them as 'a group of people who have settled illegally in our territory...who are now demanding us to solve a problem that they have been responsible for creating'.

By Sean O'Hare 12:50PM BST 28 Mar 2011

The comments were made by Josefina Cruz Villalón, a public works and housing councillor for the Andalucian regional government, when asked by a planning spokesperson for the opposition how she planned to deal with the problem of illegally-built homes in the Almanzora Valley in Almeria.

12,697 "irregular" constructions have been identified in the Almanzora Valley, the majority belonging to British expats.

Maura Hillen, president of Abusos Urbanisticos Almanzora NO (AUAN), a home-owners association composed mainly of British residents, said: "That's all we need; for the victims who have been mistreated by the planning and real estate system to be attacked. On top of being insulted, we are vilified.

"Where was the regional government when the houses were being built. Why wasn't it stopped then?

"12,697 illegal buildings in the Almanzora Valley and nobody noticed? These houses didn't pop up like mushrooms overnight."

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920 of these homes were found on specially protected land, were less than four years old or were incomplete and have been earmarked for demolition.

The remaining 11,777 homes will be subject to a special decree, currently being worked on by government officials, to define a uniform set of procedures that would allow them to be granted an occupation license and obtain access to services in a manner described as "self-sufficient", making it clear that public funds will not be used to resolve the situation.

Maura Hillen continued: "And how many people will be made homeless and lose their life savings if 920 houses are demolished to 'restore order'?

"A conservative calculation would put the financial losses in the order of 90 million euros. Who's going to compensate those who bought in good faith? The Junta? The town halls?"

The decree is expected to be published after municipal elections expected in May, giving rise to fears among expat homeowners that it amounts to little more than electioneering.

Giles Paxman, British Ambassador to Spain, however, welcomed the decree. He said: "This is a real step forward for owners of illegally built properties in Andalucia.

"The decree should enable thousands of people whose properties have been declared illegal to comply with the law and gain access to essential services.

"Of course, there will be some properties built on specially protected land or in dangerous locations which it will not be possible to legalise.

"But the announcement will bring relief and hope to many people whose lives have been blighted by property and planning irregularities. We will continue to work with the Andalucian authorities on this issue."

A recent poll on behalf of Spain's national newspaper El País has shown that Villalón's Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) are 12.3 points behind main opposition party El Partido Popular (PP) and would lose next year's autonomous elections and their 30 year hold on Andalucia if the electoral mood stays the same.

Maura Hillen concluded: "Villalón's comments have done her PSOE party no favours when you consider she has offended the expat homeowners who now represent a significant proportion of the electorate in this region."