Staying within the law

The owners of 71 properties in Alicante have now been told that they must demolish the illegal extensions on their properties or face heavy fines.

The cases in question include the closing in of attics. patios or terraces after the houses have been passed by municipal technicians.

In many instances the extensions had been suggested to the buyers by the promoters. For example, at the Comodoro-Regina Maris II urbanisation, all of the houses have illegal extensions which will have to be demolished.

Any extension which increases the size of a house beyond that for which it was licensed could be considered illegal. The only extensions that are legal are those which are temporary e.g. a gazebo or are constructed using removable materials.