Homeowners Associations unite to press for changes to Planning Laws

24 associations representing some 80,000 homeowners unite to form an Andalucian Confederation.

Homeowners groups representing some 80,000 families affected by planning issues throughout Andalucía met in Cordoba on the 6th April.

After an intensive exchange of views and problems the representatives of both Spanish and foreign homeowners associations from Córdoba , Málaga, Sevilla, Almería , Jaén y Cádiz agreed to form a confederation of associations in Andalucia provisionally called “La confederación Andaluza para la regularización urbanística (“CARU”) or, in English, “the Andalucian Confederation for Planning Regularisation”.

The problems discussed ranged from homeowners unable to rebuild houses destroyed by fire in Mijas to flooding, retrospective application of protected land status, revocation of planning permissions, problems with land division, denial of access to public services etc.

CARU emphasises that it is non political and open to dialogue with all institutions and industry groups.

The next step is to organise an initial meeting to constitute the confederation, to which other groups will be invited. It was also agreed to set up a working party formed of experts with the objective of analysing and promoting legislative change as well as requesting meetings with the planning spokespersons of the various political parties at a regional level.

Francisco León provisional president of the confederation stated: “I have attended many meetings with those affected but I have never seen such unanimity and desire for change and progress”.

Source; AUAN