Valencia, Spain passes a law to protect local landscapes from unslightly buildings

August 27, 2006

The [b]Valencian[/b] government announced a new landscape law this week which protects mountains and cliffs from development and ensures landscapes are respected. Regional territories and housing councillor Esteban González Pons said the regional government’s aim is to complete legislation to protect the Valencian landscape before its current term of office finishes in May 2007. Sr Pons said the Landscape Law (Ley del Paisaje) bans building on hill tops and cliffs or on any land with more than a 50 per cent gradient. Builders must also respect the landscape by integrating local flora within urbanisations or replanting nearby to maintain the original aspect of the area. As from this week all town planning applications will have to be accompanied by an impact report and will have to be approved by the Regional Territories and Housing Council before town halls can give the green light. The ruling is not retrospective so will not protect areas where building projects have already been approved. The legislation also affects cities where new buildings must respect the colours and style of their surroundings, and will prohibit billboards and fencing along dual carriageways so as not to ‘impede panoramic views’. Despite the apparent protection the new law will give to the countryside, Sr Pons admitted that sooner or later every part of the region will be built up and said the council’s job is ‘to make sure development integrates with the environment’. For an extensive choice of new and off plan property for sale in the Valencian Province, visit the Novocasa website.