What does the Valencian Land grab Law (The L.A.V.) authorise?
A brief outline:
The Law mainly affects properties classified as Rustica or Rural
(not already urbanized)
Essentially, the law provides for land to be classified as rural, and therefore not liable for development, or ‘urbanisable’ where the building of new housing, infrastructure and amenities is authorised. Local authorities, on a proposal by the Mayor, are responsible for such planning decisions. Owners of land and existing properties which are newly classified as ‘urbanisable’ are forced to cede 10% of their land without any compensation as a contribution to the provision of utilities and open space in any development project. They are also under an obligation to contribute either in land or in cash up to 65% of the value which is assessed as being the cost of building the entire infrastructure for the whole of the development area.
The LRAU is a poorly devised law and the regional authorities have said that it will be revised in the LAV; to what extent remains to be seen. But, it has served as a model for other regional authorities, looking for new sources of funding, who are apparently eager to capitalise on its immoral benefits.
Some regions which have approved similar legislation have, according to the Valencian ombudsman, closed some of the more glaring ‘loopholes’ existing in the LRAU in the new LAV . But, European citizens in Andalucia, in Cantabria, in Murcia and elsewhereare frightened by the prospects of similar land-grabs developing.
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