Spanish Coastal Law.
The Spanish Coastal Law, also known as “Ley de Costas”, governs the use and development of the country’s coastline to protect its natural resources and preserve its environmental integrity. This law establishes regulations regarding coastal access, construction, and conservation, aiming to balance development with environmental sustainability. It delineates public domain areas along the coast, restricting private construction within these zones to preserve beachfront landscapes. The Spanish Coastal Law plays a crucial role in managing coastal development, ensuring the responsible utilization of Spain’s coastal resources while safeguarding its natural beauty for future generations.
Spanish Coastal Law 1988.
This week will bring a sigh of relief to many home and business owners who have coastal property on the Costa del Sol. These properties were built in the public and protection zones and it has been agreed on the 10th October 2014 to warrant extensions on a previous agreement, which was due to expire in 2018.
The 1988 Coastal Law amendments will create new jobs and continue the revenue brought into the country via Tax and Tourism. Regardless of rejections of such claims by the Deputy Environment Minister Federico Ramos de Armas. Ramos insists the decision to allow the extensions did not factor the additional annual revenue costs and still in effect is the rejections of new building to take place along these zones in the future.
The extensions of 30-75 years are as follows:
- 75 years on residential property
- 50 years for hotels
- 30 years for beach bars
NO DEMOLITION ORDER FOR COSTA DEL SOL
The extension will avoid the demolitions, which would have been set to begin in 2018. There are an estimated 24,000 homes that fall under this bracket and will have to pay additional annual fees. I don’t suppose in light of the alternative of demolition they will be overly upset by the introduction of a 6% cadastre tax.
Owners of these properties needn’t worry because they will be able to make improvements to their properties and sell them if they choose to without it affecting their rights as long as their extension is in place. In the previous law there was no such right to automatically pass the property rights to the children of the deceased owner, unless they were living there.
The figure of 12,800 properties, were earmarked for the beginning of the demolitions. The officials said they have tightened up illegal construction, but at the same time are willing to make concessions.
RENOVATION WORKS COSTA DEL SOL BEACHFRONT
Good news for homeowners and we will quickly see renovation works taking place as they frantically set about upgrading their properties which was previously forbidden. The coastal line will take on a face-lift period and contracts will be drawn up as we speak as the price of these sought after properties will rise in view of the 75 year extension at the top end.
This decision has relieved the area of uncertainty and it certainly will help in the steps of economic recovery, although this is at least a controversial issue for the Environmentalists association Ecologistas en Acción.
It is sad because who doesn’t yearn for unspoilt stretches of sand and sea, instead the reality is of interrupted views of private dwellings or commercial properties. It’s okay for the fortunate owners of such properties all set to become considerably wealthy in the coming years as they have the right to sell in effect.
Environmentalists will still work relentlessly to improve the ecological effects that impact the marine life and natural vegetation.
ILLEGAL SPANISH PROPERTY
10% of the 40,000 properties along the coast of Spain are legal.
12,800 were part of the 2018 demolition schedule.
SPANISH COASTAL LAW
The Spanish Coastal Law (ley de costas 1988) aims were to make the coastline accessible to everyone and protect the coast from erosion and become too much of an urban area.
New Spanish Laws Threaten Coastal Areas
THE SPANISH COASTAL LAW
PUBLIC DOMAIN – no private ownership
- The surf zone and the beach
- All areas where the sea waves reach or have reached in the worst known storms
- All areas where there is sand, shale or pebbles, whether or not it is built on or whether or not the waves ever reach there, up to a point where the effects of the coastal winds are negligible and the area has no effect on coastal protection
- All areas reclaimed from the sea
PRIVATE OWNERSHIP – the property has to be set back 500 metres away from the coastline.