Print

Not enough water in Spain?

Catherine Deshayes

The European Commission is investigating more than 250 new housing projects in Spain amid fears that there is not sufficient water supply for the developments...

The projects in Andalucia, Castilla-La Mancha, Murcia and Valencia are either under construction or have planning approval despite local water boards refusing to guarantee future water supplies.

The investigation has been instigated by Spanish MEP David Hammerstein, who represents the Greens, and is concerned that developers are ignoring EU directives on water and the environment.

It is yet another blow to hard hit Spanish developers and also another example of rules being flouted amid calls for more transparency within planning and real estate in Spain.

Stavros Dimas, European Environmental Commissioner, confirmed that an investigation has begun and that his department would be requesting information from the Spanish authorities on expected additional demands on water, and how they will guarantee the environmental objectives of the EU's water directive.

The Commission has also asked Madrid for a list of housing projects awaiting planning approval that have been turned down by water boards and asked the Spanish Government to explain its plans to guarantee compliance with the water directive and preserve the quality and quantity of water resources in the medium and long term.

Hundreds of thousands of properties could be affected. "We are questioning the legality of plans to build hundreds of thousands of homes in areas with endemic water shortages.

"The construction boom has an insatiable thirst that is incompatible with a sustainable future for drinking water as required by the EU," said Mr Hammerstein.

'There are still many planning projects in Spain where demand exceeds water resources, which means deceiving citizens who are the ultimate victims,' he added.

Those developments being investigated include residential properties, hotels, golf courses and tourist complexes.

Source: www.propertywire.com