Buildings over 40 will have to undergo inspection

Old building in Algeciras
(Illustration only)

ALGECIRAS In a piece of legislation that might be expected in other towns and cities in response to regional or national law (Royal Law Decree 8/2011 of July 1), Algeciras is about to order that buildings of 40 years or more must undergo technical inspections to ensure that conditions of safety, sanitation, accessibility and ornamentation are adequate. This applies to all kinds of buildings, from blocks of flats to townhouses and single-family homes. Initial approval of the municipal regulation has been done, and it is now in the public allegation stage until May 22, after which it and the obligation of owners will be in effect.>>>

Are the Paradores headed for privatization?

Parador at León, in the old
Monastery of San Marcos

Paradores, one of the jewels of Spanish tourism

MADRID The Minister for Industry, Energy and Tourism, José Manuel Soria, confirmed earlier this week that 'logically' the Paradores that under renovation or construction would be finished. But at the same time he said that the Government was 'not contemplating any new building work'. He even said that, given the 'delicate' situation they are going through, privatization has not been eliminated. The Minister, interviewed at the World Travel Market fair in London, added that there are 'restrictions' surrounding privatization, as some of the Paradores are within buildings that are not owned by the State. "We'd have to look into it on a case by case basis, but nothing has been discarded.">>>

Silo and Casa de Cultura progress

©Alberto Bullrich 2012

JIMENA Mayor Guillermo Ruiz held a meeting yesterday with the second V-P of the provincial authority, Bernardo Villar, to look into the work being carried out at the old silo building at the entrance to the village, which is scheduled to become a museum as well as the Information Centre. They also visited the Casa de Cultura in San Pablo, which is being updated and to which a meeting room is being added. The silo is being given a multi-purpose room on a new floor, plus the installation of a false ceiling, doors and windows and electricity. The outer area will be improved with new flooring and parking facilities, all of which will be employing 59 people. In San Pablo, the Casa de Cultura building is undergoing structural strengthening as well as other basic work. The total investment for both projects is almost €270,000, financed by the PROFEA funds of Diputación.

Fined €32,000 for illegal building

The Pelayo district, above Algeciras

ALGECIRAS (Agencies) The municipal town planning authorities have set a fine of €32,581.14 on R.I.G. for building a two-story house illegally in the Pelayo area of Algeciras, close to the El Portalón restaurant. The process began in 2007, when the man wastold to 'return the land to its prior state'. He has had time to demolish the building since then, but if he does not do so within a month, he will be subject to successive fines of similar amounts - up to twelve, a month apart. He has thirty days from last week to make an appeal either directly to the town planning authorities or via the Administrative Court, within sixty days.

This Council department has a series of such fines outstanding, which were set this month. For instance, a fine of €18,263.31 was issued against the owner of another house in Pelayo, where he had also built a two-story home without any kind of permission from the town hall. And that was the third fine for the same person and building. As a result, a demolition order has also been issued.

German buys NCO's Residence for €1.4 million

(Photo: sur.es)

TARIFA It had been a dream for many years: Tarifa wanted back the land it had ceded to the Ministry of Defence, located  uniquely within the framework of the Los Maderos tower, but now home to an abandoned building that only accumulated rubbish. But the dream came to an end yesterday when the Ministry confirmed that the Residencia de Suboficiales had been sold at public auction to a German national resident in Marbella. It is an old building, some 1250m2 built by the Ministry on land that had been ceded to it in 1951. But not so many years ago, the alarm went up because it was clearly in a very bad state, after the Ministry stopped using in the 1980s. Other attempts at a sale had been attempted but there were no bidders, possibly because the Council had gone to court to request its return. The Council lost, but so did the building. Its price came down a couple of times but at last, on March 21st, the German buyer came away with its ownership. It appears that his intention is to create a hotel/tourism complex after extensive renovation  work. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ITEMS SUCH AS THIS MAY BE SUBJECT TO SUBSCRIPTION IN THE FUTURE but you can make a donation NOW, too! Please click here for more information on how to help us continue. (This item was translated and edited.)

Gibraltarian denounced for illegal building

(Photo: Guardia Civil)

SAN ROQUE (Agencies) The Guardia Civil's Seprona unit have denounced illegal building in a protected zone. Last April they noticed that a 150m2 building was being erected on a plot of land on the connecting way from Jimena to Los Chaparrales. The owner, a Gibraltarian, did not have any kind of licence or permit to do so. In any case, he would never have been able to obtain it because this is a protected area. He has been accused of various town planning and environmental infractions and the matter is now in the hands of the courts.

Jimena Council prepares to move up

JIMENA (Press release/Photo: TioJimeno) The Council is hoping to move into their new office building in time to inaugurate the new Council after local elections on May 22, according to Mayor Pascual Collado. The building is on Calle Sevilla a little further up the hill from the main Council offices. It has been 'under construction' for a number of years now, but Public Works employees are now putting some finishing touches aimed at getting it ready for the move. It will be housing the Mayor's Office, among others, as well as a new council meeting room. The latter is especially necessary considering that the Council will now have 17 members instead of the present 13. The building will be more accessible to those with mobility problems.