It is now official: the General Urban Development Plan (PGO) of the municipality of Los Llanos de Aridane, in La Palma, has been definitively annulled.
Due to non-compliance with European directives, the entire plan has been declared void, according to a ruling of the Supreme Administrative Court. The trigger for this decision was a legal challenge brought by environmental activists and local residents against the construction of an asphalt plant in the affected municipality.
But what does this mean in practice? Below, Volker Horch, Managing Director of Mantenimiento de Contacto, explains the implications:
What effect does the annulment of the General Urban Development Plan have on planned construction projects?
Volker Horch: If a building permit has already been granted, it remains valid and there is no cause for concern. However, for those wishing to apply for a new building permit in Los Llanos de Aridane, it will be impossible to obtain one.
Incidentally, the annulment of the plan affects not only building permits, but also rental licences and commercial permits.
What should I consider if I want to purchase a building plot in Los Llanos de Aridane now?
Volker Horch: It is essential that a building permit is already in place; otherwise, the purchase is purely speculative.
When can a new General Urban Development Plan be expected?
Volker Horch: It is difficult to say. Even the timeframes established by the Land Law for the preparation of urban planning instruments—and their possible extensions—have only been met by a small number of municipalities.
For example, Los Llanos de Aridane took 12 years to approve the plan that has now been annulled. Other municipalities, such as Garafía or Santa Cruz de La Palma, still do not have a plan adapted to the 1999 Land Law, even after 16 years.
