PROPERTY SEARCH
Coastal law clash puts 400 Murcia families at risk of losing their beach homes
Political fight over Spain’s shoreline rules leaves residents worried about demolition orders and the future of their properties
About 400 families living by the sea in the Region of Murcia, in places like Cabo de Palos, Los Nietos, El Portús, Puerto de Mazarrón and Puntas de Calnegre just got a shock. Thanks to changes to the coastal boundary line, they might lose their homes, even though they’ve all paid their taxes and are fully registered.Senator Francisco Bernabé of the Popular Party (PP) said, “They are legal buildings, with their public deeds, registered in the property registry, paying their taxes, and, of course, all fully established in their urban environments.” But the new line drawn by the Coastal Authority now puts these homes on public land, meaning many could be knocked down unless the law changes.
Now, the PP is taking the row to Spain’s highest court, the Constitutional Court, to try to end what Bernabé calls unnecessary delays from Congress in sorting out the law. He says, “If this attitude of legal fraud does not desist, we will take personal legal action against the Speaker of the Congress of Deputies, Francina Armengol, and the rest of the Bureau members.” He is frustrated that the bill has been held up more than 60 times.
Locals are not giving up without a fight. Many families are appealing the demolition orders, but so far two homes in Cabo de Palos have lost, with their owners now heading to the Supreme Court for a last chance. If the appeals fail, families will not only lose their homes but would even have to pay for their own demolitions, without a cent in compensation.
This coastal law controversy has become a huge worry for homeowners who feel the system is stacked against them. It raises urgent questions about property rights and coastal management in Murcia, as well as balancing environmental rules with local residents’ security and stability. For now, hundreds of people are left unsure about the future of the houses, and the lives, they have worked hard to build.
Image: wikcommons
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