The College of Architects in the Balearics supports the regional government's ambition to build at least 10,000 affordable homes*, but believes that the decree for these homes raises 'red flags' that need addressing.
A key concern relates to the fact that benefits to developers are permanent and not temporary. This could therefore mean that there is no rush to build homes once an area has been approved for development.
An apparent lack of urgency contradicts the emergency nature of the housing situation and indeed all the thinking behind government measures. They consider it inconsistent to establish a method based on permanent planning advantages for an urgent purpose. "If there is no deadline, the urgency is lost, since the developer or the owner could delay development indefinitely."
The architects also feel there are reasonable doubts that the government will enforce the law and oblige developers to build. "It is well known that no public administration, of any time or political stripe, has used the tools at its disposal, such as expropriation for urban planning purposes."
They also warn that the decree could result in smaller homes coming under the affordable category while at the same time creating ever more luxury homes.
The architects call for the broadest possible consensus to arrive at a definition of the future of the Balearic Islands - "how far we are willing to grow in population". "Continued growth year after year is not sustainable in a finite territory with limited natural resources. A larger population means greater needs for infrastructure, services, and resources."
* The decree envisages 20,000 homes in Palma, half of which will be 'affordable'. Similar schemes, referred to as Strategic Residential Projects, could be extended to municipalities with 10,000 or more inhabitants.