MEPs vote to end Spanish land grab - 2009-03-27

Euro-MPs voted on the impact of extensive urbanisation in Spain. Thousands of European citizens continue to be victims of a system of massive urbanisation.

The process, known as ‘land grab', starts with a local authority reclassifying rural land as urban land, often without the permission of the land owner. Developers then seize land around properties and demand cash from the owners to pay for new roads, drainage and other infrastructure. Some urbanisation schemes have been excessive in scale and are not environmentally sustainable. Some schemes have subsequently been declared illegal and face demolition.

Michael Cashman MEP said, "This is an appeal to the Spanish government to do the right thing and bring the right resolution to this appalling situation. People are facing ruin, uncertainty and loss of their home. Now is the time to act before it is too late!"

A very large number of petitions have been filed concerning the abuse of the legitimate rights of European citizens to their property. There is a great deal of detail concerning environmental degradation, water provision and quality, and public procurement generally in connection with insufficient control of the urbanisation procedures by local and regional authorities.

The national Spanish framework of legislation on land law which came into force on 1st July 2007 has not changed the situation and as a result we have witnessed years of massive urbanisation, overbuilding and coastal destruction.

For more information please call the European Parliamentary Labour Party press officer, Silke Thomson on +32 479 790 053.

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