st s be ag n’ m ai ty ish Sp operEngl pr in
Property
www.theolivepress.es
NOVEMBER 2024
The Spanish finalists in London’s RIBA awards and how a Spanish cathedral will soon be the world’s tallest See PROPERTY inside
THE BEST OF THE BEST
I
T is one of the most prestigious So it’s amazing that Spain is architecture prizes in the world. dings up for the top prize of connected to two of the three builchitects (RIBA) awards this the UK’s Royal Institute of British ArSpain-based architect Davidyear. three for the International Prize,Chipperfield is on the shortlist of nastery (left) into an office blockfor his clever conversion of a moBritish talent Chipperfield, whoin Paderborn, Germany. spends much of the year in Galicia, used ‘sculptural demolition’ Hospital into the headquarters to convert the St Vincenz Also on the list is the fabulous of the TAP holding group. sing project, in Barcelona, by Modulus Matrix social houThe stunning 10,000 sqm Peris + Toral Architects. block was built almost entirely from wood on the site of a former cinema. The largest wooden building in Spain, it was built from sustainable wood from the Basque The other nominee is the LianzhouCountry. tography, in China, which was Museum of Phobuilt on the site of an old sugar mill. See XXXXXX page
18
BREAKNECK PACE SHORTLIST: Lianzhou Museum Barcelona’s wooden social and (left) housing scheme
Spain’s housing market rockets
SPAIN’S housing market continues to set records and shoot for the It has grown by 9.6% in stars. 16.6% since January 2023,a year and according
further up with 10% annual
growth – but is it a bubble?
writes Walter Finch
to the latest data. than in June Breakneck expansion has propelled it at €2,11 sqm, 2007, when it peaked One of the highest well above the largest previous rises according to property which exploded by 18.8%is in Madrid Zamora is the cheapest at €1,17 sqm. of 2007, which led to a dramatic peak portal Idealista. in a year to Meanwhile, €4,83 sqm, while crash, However, all but four provinces reas the graph (left) tumbled by February 2010 it had are up 10.8% to in Barcelona prices corded higher prices, with €4,59 sqm. Santa Cruz to €1,89 sqm, before dropshows. de Tenerife and Las Palmas Valencia saw the highest ping to an alarming seeing The average worsened by the €1,49 sqm in 2016 prices have increased by rise, where the steepest rises of 16.4% and 16% a fifth (20%), respectively. euro crisis. house in Spain Since followed closely by Malaga (19.6%), Other fast now costs €2,21 barkedthen Spain’s prices have em- Santander (18.1%) on an impressive recovery and Alicante aric Islandsgrowers include the Baleper square me- that (14.8%), Alicante went into overdrive in January (16.7%). tre, 4.4% higher last year. Malaga (12.7%) and Murcia (13.9%), San Sebastian is the most (14.9%). city overall, at €5,631 expensive For anyone looking for bargains, house sqm, while prices have actually fallen (-3.2%), Córdoba (-2.5%),in Ourense Badajoz (-1.1%) and Ciudad Real (-0.7%). THE situation now is The Balearic Islands continue to be different to 2007 in termsfundamentally the most expensive autonomous reCOMMENT by Olive Press Spain was building more of supply. gion at €4,663 sqm, followed Property Insider Adam Neale of Europe then and we arethan the whole Community of Madrid (€3,64by the now firmly in sqm), a resale market with constricted the Basque Country (€3,01 supply. Meanwhile, further These days clients are not Canary Islands (€2,77 sqm) sqm), the regulatory and Catavestment but for lifestyle buying for in- es have closed mechanisms thatchanglunya (€2,44 sqm). and you can no itated facilUP AND UP: The price longer get mortgages with a boom such as the ability Bargain hunters should chart keeps soaring from check out to 2016 low ratios of 100% and even for loan to value sell a contract during construction Castilla-La Mancha (€937), non residents. (aka ‘flipping’). Extremadura (€977 sqm) and Castilla y León (€1,199 sqm).
Sustainable or cause for alarm?
OLIVE PRESS MALLORCA
SCAN here for the latest news
FREE Vol. 7 Issue 194 www.theolivepress.es November 15th - November 28th 2024
FLOOD PLAIN U-TURN
FOLLOWING the deadly DANA storms in Valencia, the Balearic government has done a u-turn on new laws approved in May which allowed construction on flood plains. Balearic President, Marga Prohens has backtracked, suggesting an amendment to the law to restrict construction in areas at risk of flooding or forest fires. But opposition parties have fiercely criticised the amendment, saying it does not go far enough and is demanding a complete ban on construction on flood plains. The PSIB opposition spokesman Iago Negueruela also wants the conversion of commercial units into homes in vulnerable areas to be declined. On top of that, he wants the legalisation of properties built illegally on flood plains to be halted. Environmental group GOB has spoken out against the May regulations, stating Palma council has registered at least nine new residential constructions on floodplains and virgin land since November 5. Margalida Ramis, the group’s president, warned that ‘if the changes are not processed soon, many more properties will be built on flood plains’.
MENU DEL DISASTER
Demands grow for the resignation of Valencia president Carlos Mazon as it emerges he was having a three hour power lunch as tragedy unfolded THE streets of Valencia have erupted in fury after it was revealed that regional president Carlos Mazon spent hours enjoying a long expensive lunch while his region drowned. The PP leader is now facing calls for his resignation after 130,000 enraged citizens gathered to protest. Protesters accused him of murder and having ‘blood on his hands’, while hundreds of them clashed with riot police. It came as it emerged that Mazon was having a three hour lunch as the floodwaters rose and panic gripped the region on October 27. Mazon was dining at the
ANGER: Protesters chanted that Mazon has ‘blood on his hands’
By Alex Trelinski & Dilip Kuner
exclusive El Ventorro restaurant with journalist Maribel Vilaplana, until 6pm – many hours after the first red alerts had been issued by meteorologists. Shockingly, though, he did not cut his meal short despite the worsening crisis and only returned to his office at around 7pm, by which time the death toll was climbing dramatically. “Mazon’s hands are stained with blood!” chanted
the angry protesters outside Valencia City Hall, who clashed with riot police as they marched to the parliament building. Four people were arrested and 31 police were injured. As the region continued the clean up operation after the flooding that left over 225 dead with dozens still missing, residents continue to question why he continued with his lengthy meal. Government sources insisted he was being constantly updated on the growing crisis, but his office has refused to disclose the details of his agenda for the day. Meanwhile in Mallorca, despite red alerts for heavy rainfall, the island escaped relatively unscathed. There were 50 ‘incidents’ recorded by the 112 emergency line as the DANA storm swept over the island. And as politicians digest the Valencia disaster a political row is brewing over construction on flood plains (see Floodplain U-turn, left). - Craig Dickson Some 449 plots in Mallorca have been greenlit for development in
Mallorca windows
n!
being take Christmas orders now Merry Christmas to all our customers
Turkey & Geese, Ducks & Chickens, Gammon & Roast Ham Joints, Beef, Pork & Lamb Joints Sausages & Sausage Meat, Cocktail Sausages, Sausage Rolls, Pork Pies & Bacon
ALL FRESH PRODUCE
Order through WhatsApp:
+34 653 926 064
Tel: 971 696 667 – aadunnbutcher@yahoo.com Tue.-Fri.: 9am-6pm | Sat: 9am-3pm | Closed Monday & Sunday OPEN ALL YEAR ROUND! – Avenida del Golf 16, Santa Ponsa We are located opposite the road leading to SP Country Club
DINED: Mazon (left) enjoyed a threehour lunch with Vilaplana (below) while disaster struck
Aluminium - uPVC - Timber Windows Doors Shutters Bi-folds
Glass Curtains Mosquito Nets Glass Railings Sun Blinds
Call us for a no obligation quote
695 420 635
www.mallorca-windows.com
flood prone areas since a May decree. Of these, 287 are in Campos, 98 in Palma and 64 in sa Pobla, but according to experts, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Geographer Joan Estrany has claimed that although Spain’s Ministry of Ecological Transition has identified 43 official high-risk zones, there are more which remain unmapped as they are too small or have watercourses hidden underground. For example, he claims Torrent de Sant Magi (Palma) could impact nearby buildings if its banks burst.
Risk
This debate comes on the heels of the Ministry for Ecological Transition’s release of a public tool, the Sistema Nacional de Cartografía de Zonas Inundables (SNCZI), which allows citizens to check flood prone zones nationwide. According to the tool, Palma is the Balearic area most at risk, with over 123,000 residents living in flood zones. Andratx, Manacor, and Soller also have significant flood risks. Following the Valencia floods, Balearic President Marga Prohens has announced plans to enhance emergency response protocols, aiming to make them more ‘agile and efficient’ to prevent future tragedies. Opinion Page 6 See Village of the Damned, page 6 & 7