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EU gives land grab Brits new hope

Friday, 16 December 2005 12:00 AM

Thousands of Britons caught out by Spain's land grab laws have been given new hope by the European parliament.

MEPs voted overwhelmingly to adopt a report condemning the Valencian land grab law, known as LRAU, and called upon the European Commission to act.

They agreed with a report from the European Parliament's petitions committee that the law, which allows developers to compulsorily purchase land from property owners at prices often below market value, raised questions of human and fundamental rights.

MEPs have asked the commission to consider new laws to ensure developers cannot compulsorily purchase land under the pretext that it is in the 'public interest' when it is actually for private gain.

They also want binding criteria for the calculation of compensation for homeowners where their land is subject to compulsory purchase to prevent them being ripped-off.

The Valencia land grab law, which was introduced in 1994, has affected thousands of Brits who bought second homes in areas such as the Costa Blanca and the Costa del Azahar.

The law allows developers to ask for land to be reclassified from rural to urban without seeking the landowners' permission, and to compulsorily purchase the land once reclassification has taken place.

British owners of second homes have been caught out because residents have only 15 days to object following the publication of intent to urbanise an area, and they are often not in the country when this occurs.

This led MEPs, who voted 550 to 45 in favour of the report, to call for laws to ensure each property owner is informed individually and in good time about any urbanisation plans.

The European Parliament's vote does not mean the Spanish government will have to take action to reverse the laws, but it does strengthen the European Commission's legal challenge.

Many owners of second homes have either lost land or been forced to pay for 'urbanisation', such as the installation of sewage systems, roads and lighting, as a result of the laws.

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