Occupying an area of 542 sq.m.

Court orders demolition of 15 new apartments in Torre-solí

Complex. The second-floor apartments are those affected

As a result of the court´s verdict, the promoter, Lanoria Son Pou, will have to pay the 4,000 euro legal costs plus a fine of 100,000 euros to Alaior Council

c.m.w..Maó

The company Lanoria Son Pou has been ordered to demolish 15 of the 75 apartments it has in a tourist complex in the Torre-solí urbanisation in Alaior. The High Court rejected an appeal presented by the promoter and found in favour of Alaior Council´s decision to refuse building permission and to calculate the amount of excess building which had been constructed.

Apart from having to settle the 4,000 euros legal costs, Lanoria Son Pou will have to pay a fine of 100,000 euros to the Council and present a guarantee and demolition project for the 15 apartments, as previously agreed by both parties. Whilst waiting for the legal verdict the Council had permitted the promoter to open those apartments which conformed to the planning regulations, i.e. those on the ground and first floors of the complex. The 15 apartments which will have to be demolished are on the second floor and cover an area of 542 sq.m.

In 1994 Lanoria Son Pou received permission to construct 75 apartments next to Es Prat, on a plot of 13,500 sq.m. in Torre-solí. In 1995 the Coastal Authorities modified the land/sea demarcation of Son Bou beach which affected the plot in question and the introduction of the Balearic rural land law in 1997 reduced the building area to 11,855 sq.m. requiring a reduction of 542 sq.m. to be made to the planned construction. In December of that year the company asked for an extension of the licence but on 7th January 1998 Alaior Council declared that it had expired. The company failed to comply with the Council´s decision, appealed to the courts and constructed the complete complex. The Council then asked Lanoria Son Pou to alter the project and eliminate the excess building, fined the company 25,000 euros and ordered construction to halt.

In January 1999 the two parties reached an agreement whereby the Council would allow the promoter to open the apartments on the ground and first floors but not those on the second floor. The Mayor of Alaior, Pau Morlà, explained that the agreement was made because the unfinished building was harming the urbanisation´s image. He stated that the court´s decision (against which there can be no appeal) justified the action taken by the Council.