Property promotors face court in Catral, Costa Blanca, Spain

November 10, 2007

The consumers association AECU is to present a second official complaint to the courts which could see promoters in Catral face prosecution. Currently the bosses of construction companies who built more than 1,270 homes on rustic land without legitimate building licenses have not been charged over the scandal. At present only politicians face court action over the illegal building. Former mayor José Manuel Rodríguez Leal has been charged for allowing houses to be built without licences and was questioned by an Orihuela judge in February. Four councillors who formed part of his Socialist (PSOE) government which ran Catral during the period of illegal building also face charges. The four – Franciso Javier Espín, María Sánchez, Pilar Grau and Manuel Vilella – testified at Orihuela court house last Friday and, according to news agency EFE, admitted that properties were built without proper licences. A total of 13 promoters and estate agents who are alleged to have built and sold the properties have been called to give evidence as witnesses to the court on November 16 and December 5. Since then the regional government has issued 34 demolition orders for houses deemed to be illegal, although the town hall has advised homeowners to buy time by appealing against the decision. The PP mayor is hoping to have a new Town Plan (PGOU) approved within the next 20 months which will see most of the properties built in Catral’s countryside made legal. Homeowners who have bought the illegal properties – many of them British – have been told by the town hall that a deal is being struck with the regional government to legalise the homes. For an extensive choice of LEGAL new and off plan property for sale in Spain on the Costa Blanca and Costa Calida, visit the Novocasa website.