The homeowner’s association AUAN has begun a series of meetings aimed at uniting associations similar to themselves in Andalusia in a common cause. According to the association’s president, Maura Hillen, “Our objective is to join forces and propose an urgent solution for the issue of access to water, electricity and paperwork for those awaiting legalisation via a town plan so that homeowners can live with dignity and be free from the worry of embargos and inheritance issues by being able to register their property in their own name at the Land Registry.
This is something that they currently cannot do until the legalisation process is completed. Something which can take decades, if it ever happens at all”.
On 6th of February AUAN met in Chiclana with representatives of various associations grouped within the Federation “Extrarradio de Chiclana”. There are an estimated 14,000 irregular houses in Chiclana, all awaiting legalisation via a town plan. Many of them do not have access to running water, even though the pipework runs past their door.
But due to the complexity of the current planning regulations they are not permitted to connect. Those affected consider that it is unacceptable and immoral to treat people in this way. On the return journey AUAN met with representatives of the SOHA from Axarquia in Malaga.
During these meetings the groups discussed the draft text of a parliamentary bill, developed by AUAN, which, if approved, would allow houses on “asentamientos” (houses awaiting legalisation via the execution of a town plan), to have access to a type of planning recognition called an “AFO”, which would permit them to connect to available services as well as to register their homes.
This permission would not free homeowners from any obligation to contribute, if required, to the future urbanisation costs of their development and would not interrupt the legalisation process.
The associations also discussed the need to speak to the new government in Andalusia and the political parties as soon as possible and AUAN undertook to collaborate with this effort.
“Residents on developments awaiting legalisation via a town plan have been tranquilised over the years by their politicians and town halls into believing that their town plan is just around the corner and then that it is just about to be executed.
We believe that there is an alternative to the endless cycle of waiting caused by a byzantine planning process and we hope that the new government thinks the same way. We certainly intend to do our best to find out!”, Mrs Hillen concluded.
If any groups or associations wish to find out more about this campaign, please contact AUAN directly at president@almanzora-au.org or visit its GoFundMe campaign at https://www.gofundme.com/auan-save-our-homes-in-spain
