In a blow to anti-tourism protesters, over 1,000 new flats have been approved in Costa Blanca. (Image: Getty)
This summer, parts of have been plagued by anti- demonstrations as residents are protesting the effect that overcrowding, the current tourism model and increased house prices are having on their lives.
The Pilar de La Horadada council, however, has backed plans for 1,086 to be built on a 290,000 square metre parcel of rural land at Lo Monte Playa in the popular region.
If ratified, it will end a nine-year campaign by a developer to reclassify the land.
The council vote on September 27 saw the ruling Partido Popular (PP) support the measure with backing from Vox, while PSOE councillors abstained.
The new urbanisation is expected to bring up to 2,700 new residents to boost Pilar’s population to just under 25,000 people. It will be bordered by Avenida Federico Garcia Lorca in Mil Palmeras, Camping Lo Monte and Avenida Levante to the south and the coast.
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The plot of land has an estimated value of 21.7 million euros (over £18 million). (Image: Google Maps)
The promoter, Santamar de la Vega, said the plot is a wasteland and has not been used for any agriculture for 30 years. It will “fill in” the gap between other urbanisations. It says there is no risk of , despite the fact that the regional flood plan says there could be a structural risk due to a rambla (a dry river bed) that crosses the land.
Santamar de la Vega owns 98 percent of the plot, which has an estimated value of 21.7 million euros (just over £18 million).
Crucially, the Segura Hydrographic Confederation and the regional government have supported the builder’s report.
The Friends of Sierra Escalona group has raised concerns that there could be problems caused by new buildings stopping excess water from running off.
The Orihuela-based company has plans for a 2,000-home urbanisation in San Miguel de Salinas as well as the Los Naufragos skyscraper promotion in .
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Locals claim that overtourism has led to unaffordable rents, attributed to holiday rentals. (Image: Getty)
In August, a Majorcan resident said that the Spanish housing crisis and the anti-tourism protests . Jaume Fuster, 27, a worker, while acknowledging that tourism was important to the island, said: “They should be a wake-up call to our politicians to legislate against the overcrowding and bring in laws that improve the quality of life of us residents.
“It is impossible to live independently on our salaries.”
Anti-mass tourism protesters across Spain claim that overtourism has led to unaffordable rents, with by a staggering 68 percent over the past 10 years, something residents attribute to holiday rentals.
Homeowners in Majorca are now increasingly choosing to with accessing accommodation and the high prices to rent full properties. By renting out single rooms rather than whole properties, owners can avoid certain obligations under the Tenancy Act that protect tenants.
According to Idealista, the average price of renting a room in Palma is 500 euros (£418), while the average cost of an entire apartment is double that. With a three-bedroom apartment, therefore, owners can receive 1,500 euros (£1,253) – around 500 euros more by renting out the rooms separately.
“It is totally unfair competition. They do in fact rent the entire property, but they resort to these tricks to circumvent the law,” Natalia Bueno claimed, reported the .