ISSUE NO. 1665
1 - 7 June 2017
A XARQUÍA - C OSTA T ROPICAL
YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM
Salesman’s €300,000 job secret
AXARQUIA: Homes were built on non-urban land.
House arrest Thousands of homes may be illegal By Sally Underwood The Euro Weekly News has learned that thousands of homes in Axarquia which were built on non-urban land could be affected by recent changes to the state planning law (LOUA). In October last year, town halls were instructed to take action on potentially illegal homes by preparing a general plan as well as an inventory of all buildings constructed on non-urban land. Once completed, councils will use the two documents to determine whether each property is legal; ‘asimilado como fuera de ordenacion,’ meaning the property is recognised but subject to further restrictions, or subject to a demolition order. Local activist group Save Our Homes in Axarquia (SOHA), has contacted this newspaper claiming that around 20,000 homes in Axarquia could be illegal without their owners’ knowledge.
They say only 200 property owners have contacted them so far and are calling on others to come forward so they can organise a platform, putting pressure on the council to declare all homes built with town hall licences legal. Philip Smalley, a spokesman for the organisation says, “owners of homes on non-urbanis-
able land believe that because they have all their paperwork, and no action has been taken against them to date, that they are legal.” He says all property owners will soon receive a letter from the town hall stating what category it has been placed in. Smalley is urging any owners concerned about
Flashback Our story in March
the legal status of their property to contact the association at soha.es to receive advice and add their voice to the campaign. The saga follows our earlier exclusive about Janet Hayden, a 70-year-old British woman living in La Viñuela. Janet had bought a plot of land in the area in 2003 and
says she was advised by her legal representative that although the land was not designated for housing, she could secure the appropriate licence by paying a small fine. Janet says she never received a licence, however, and after problems with the property’s structure, was ordered to be evicted from her home.
POLICE swooped on a sneaky employee accused of stealing electronics worth over €300,000 from his boss’s shop over two years. The 48-year-old worked at a computer and tech store in Marbella and allegedly sold the stolen goods on to his Colombian contact in Velez-Malaga. A suspicious security officer contacted police when almost €13,000 worth of gear went missing in just 12 days. Police tracked the employee, following him to a car park where he handed the expensive loot to his contact. Both men were immediately arrested. A search of the man’s home found a haul of computers, phones, games consoles, and other devices worth at least €30,000. The shop has now catalogued all missing items over the years and reckons 10 times that volume was stolen by the salesman. Stolen articles were also sold on the blackmarket and online. Police are baffled as to how the man managed to get away with it for so long.