Getting Planning Permission in Spain

So, you?ve conquered the buying off plan challenge and now you?re contemplating your next project. Perhaps you have thought about buying a piece of land and designing your dream home yourself, away from the coast further inland where it is said to be cheaper. If the buying off plan procedure took a bit of getting used to then getting planning permission might feel like crossing a minefield.

Every regional government has its own system of dealing with new developments. In Valencia and Andalucia there have been many changes recently.

In Valencia the controversial ?Land-Grab? Law has been overruled much to the relief of hundreds of homeowners, amongst them many expats.

The Andalucian government has realised the trend for foreigners to buy cheap land so they have started to pressure town halls to be stricter with granting planning permission. Buyers of land are often left waiting for months for permits, which can be frustrating for those keen to get on with their projects.

Am I free to build on any land in Spain?

No, before you buy any land you must check that it will be eligible for a building permit. Any plot classed as a ?finca rustica? has been zoned as agricultural or rustic land which means that it will fall into any one of the three categories of Protected, Restricted or Building land.

With a permit to build on rustic land you will have to conform to set conditions. You must take a Spanish speaking solicitor with you to find out the exact status with land. If they say that you can build on a plot, ask for written confirmation.

Who grants planning permission?

The local municipal town halls. This means that the ease of obtaining a building permit (licencia/permiso de obra) varies depending on the region.

What do I need to take?

So, you?ve bought your plot which you know is eligible for a building permit and you have your deeds (escritura). You need to find a good architect, preferably recommended locally. The architect will put together the plans of your proposed home. You should submit these plans with the application and the fee to the town hall, using a local solicitor.

How much does it cost?

Four to five per cent of estimated construction costs.

How long does it take to be granted?

If you are lucky between three and six months after applying but I should stress if you are very lucky!

Is it difficult?

If you asked me this fifteen years ago, I could have said no, but today governments do not want to lose control of the rate of development so they are clamping down on this area.

Every town hall operates differently and there are always loop holes to all kind of restrictions, it is just a case of researching and finding them out. There are lots of steps that people take to help their case, such as registering as almond farmers, in order to be granted permission to build on finca rustica which requires that the land be used for farming purposes.

Posted by Donald E. Thompson on December 13, 2008 at 12:00 AM

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Local Information for West Springfield, MA

Latitude: 42.112793 -- Longitude: -72.640665

ZIP Codes for West Springfield, Massachusetts	01089 01090
Area Code for West Springfield, Massachusetts	413
Time zone for West Springfield, Massachusetts	EST

Other Area Cities: West Springfield, MA Agawam, MA Chicopee, MA Holyoke, MA Longmeadow, MA Springfield, MA Westfield, MA Easthampton, MA Ludlow, MA

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Settlers from Springfield, Massachusetts first moved to the west side of the Connecticut River between 1654 and 1659. In 1696, after years of having to cross the river under all kinds of adverse weather conditions to attend church on Sundays, the settlers on the west side of the river received permission from the Massachusetts General Court to be incorporated as a new parish of Springfield and to procure their own minister. The population on the west side of the Connecticut River grew rapidly and on February 23, 1774, the land containing the present day communities of West Springfield, Agawam, and Holyoke was incorporated as a single town called West Springfield. -- Source: Wikipedia.com

Massachusetts 2000 Census Population Profile Map

	West Springfield	Massachusetts	United States
Population	27,899	6,349,097	281,421,906
Median age	38.2	36.5	35.3
Median age for Male	36.7	35.4	34
Median age for Female	39.8	37.7	36.5
Households	11,823	2,443,580	105,480,101
Household population	27,522	6,127,881	273,643,273
Average household size	2.33	2.51	2.59
Families	7,113	1,576,696	71,787,347
Average family size	3.02	3.11	3.14
Housing units	12,259	2,621,989	115,904,641
Occupied units	11,823	2,443,580	105,480,101
Vacant units	436	178,409	10,424,540

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Getting Planning Permission in Spain

Local Information for West Springfield, MA

Latitude: 42.112793 -- Longitude: -72.640665

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