The decision to freeze building work on coastal sites in the Balearic islands of Majorca, Minorca and Ibiza could cost some developers millions of euros.
The Balearic islands’ council is currently working on legislation that should be enacted within a few days which is intended to prevent development in remaining natural areas of beauty and interest. It’s planned that protected zones will be extended, the minimum area required for permission to build a house will be increased to 200,000 square metres.
The socialist-led coalition government also intend to abolish the so-called “Cretu Law” which was introduced by the previous Partido Popular legislation to normalise developments such as the huge mountain-top villa owned by the Enigma star.
Although the clampdown on unfettered building was welcomed by many island residents, others were concerned about the impact on the local economy and their own income.
One Ibiza developer spoke to ThinkSpain Today on condition of anonymity. “I’ve brought millions of euros to Ibiza, not just from villa sales but for the construction workers I’ve employed. People like me have helped the island become rich.
“All the profits I’ve made I’ve poured back into the island. I’ve just paid almost three million for a beautiful plot which is big enough for three spectacular villas. The people who buy them will put their money into the island’s businesses as well. If I can’t build all three houses the figures won’t add up. People like me will quit the island and the economy will suffer,” he said.
Demolition time at Elle Macpherson's old Ibiza villa
The owner of the villa where Aussie supermodel Elle Macpherson used to spend her wild summers in Ibiza is threatened with a 50,000 euro fine and demolition costs for illegally altering a jetty so that nobody else could use it.
The public prosecutor claims the owner of the spectacular seafront villa built a wall up to two-metres high around a yacht landing stage designed for public use. Now the prosecutor’s asking for a 300-euro-a-day fine covering six months of alleged illegal occupation of the jetty.
(Note Elle Macpherson used to spend all her summers in Ibiza until about three years ago when she apparently lost it completely and headed off into rehab. She also sued the Sun successfully not long ago)
Ibiza-born natives outnumbered
Most people who live in Ibiza were not born on the island according to the latest official figures from the Economic and Social Council. In 2006 55.8 per cent of the population came from outside, mostly from mainland Spain. Over 90,000 of the island’s population of almost 114,000 are of Spanish nationality. Most of the rest are European or North Africa.
The figures represent a 2.5 per cent increase over 2006 which authorities say was caused by a combination of immigration and a booming birth-rate which far outweighs the number of deaths.
Unstung heroes of Ibiza's beaches
Ibiza’s tourists may have had to contend with an oil spill, closed clubs and occasional downpours, but they were spared a threatened invasion of jellyfish. The Red Cross said life guards in the San Antonio treated less than 1500 stung swimmers, a third less than they dealt with the year before.
Other municipalities didn’t report specific figures but said their experiences were in Line with San Antonio. Experts had warned of a plague of jellyfish because rising temperatures in the Mediterranean around Ibiza meant they would no longer need to head for warmer seas to breed.
Sounds of Ibiza
Figures collected during the peak holiday months in Ibiza Town showed that over a third of noise hotspots passed the 65 decibel limit laid down by the World Health Organisation. But it wasn’t Ibiza’s famous nightlife that was to blame for the racket.
It was general traffic that caused most of the misery, followed closely by public service vehicles such as buses, taxis and bin lorries. Clubs, bars and restaurants were a long way behind in third place.
Ibiza's unlikely new five-star gallery
Ibiza’s latest five-star attraction, the Granhotel overlooking the port, is to be one of only five hotels in the world which is catalogued like an art gallery. The spectacular building which combines a casino, upmarket restaurants, a spa and 157 suites will, the owners claim, be “alive with the contemporary work of emergent artists”. So far 16 artists from across Spain, Europe and the US have been offered the opportunity to display their work.
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