Axarquía foreigners threaten to leave in protest over new property law

Corrupt Axarquía development, 2009
(Source: elpais.com)

MÁLAGA / Axarquía (Agencies) Foreign property owners in the Axarquía, Málaga, are threatening to impact the local economy if the Junta de Andalucía passes a decree that would regulate but not legalise their homes. A rough estimate of 11,000 homes in the Axarquía area would be affected, as would another 11,700 in the province of Almería. The Junta's new decree is expected to be approved by the end of the year and allows for properties built more than four years ago to remain standing, although they will not be considered as being legal. Philip Smalley from SOHA, Save Our Homes Axarquía, asked what would happen to the local economy if all the property owners left, and claimed that if the properties were not made legal it could even affect Spain on the international markets. ‘What would happen in Andalucía if they demolish our homes and the foreigners have to leave’, asked Smalley who is now a PA councillor in the town of La Viñuela. SOHA considers that many properties won’t even come under the new decree, but there is little means of finding out at this point.