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From The Times

January 11, 2008

Pack in 2 hours, couple told . . . then their home was bulldozed

The house belonging to Len and Helen Prior in Vera, Andalusia, Spain, is demolished

Thomas Catan in Madrid

Two British pensioners living in Spain have had their home demolished after being given two hours to pack their belongings – reviving fears among thousands of other expatriates that their own houses could be at risk.

Len and Helen Prior, both 63, moved from Berkshire to Vera, a village near AlmerÍa, on the southern coast of Spain, six years ago, investing their life savings in a £350,000 home. They gained planning permission for their project from the town hall but the regional government of Andalusia insisted that the home had been built on protected greenbelt land and had to be demolished.

Despite threats from the regional authorities, the Priors’ solicitor had repeatedly assured them that their home would be safe. On Wednesday morning, however, a dozen police officers stood guard as a mechanical digger moved in. The couple were given two hours to clear out their belongings before their home was bulldozed.

Mr Prior, who suffers from a heart condition, collapsed and was taken to a nearby hospital. He was later discharged and the couple were staying with neighbours yesterday.

“We’re devastated,” Mr Prior said. “This has been our home for almost six years. To have it pulled down in front of you is painful beyond belief. We sold a beautiful house in Berkshire to move over here six years ago so that we could enjoy the weather and the Spanish lifestyle. Now we wish that we had just stayed put.

“It has turned into a nightmare. Our home is just a pile of rubble and we have nowhere to go.”

Mrs Prior, a retired computer programmer, said: “I stayed behind and watched the house and garden being torn down. It was quite horrendous. We have invested so much time, effort and money in it. The garden was my pride and joy and took us years to complete. I am very, very angry.”

The Priors have received no compensation from the regional authorities, but plan to pursue a claim through the courts. Another ten homes in the neighbourhood are reported to have been threatened with demolition.

Many villagers watched in horror as the three-bedroom house, which had a swimming pool, was reduced to rubble. “It was absolutely unbelievable,” said a neighbour, who asked to remain anonymous. “Everybody in the area just feels totally sick.”

Though many British homeowners in Spain are facing legal problems, the demolition of property belonging to expatriates has so far been rare. But the move by Andalusia’s regional government has heightened fears that they could become much more common in future.

“I hope that it’s not a sign of worse things to come,” said Charles Svoboda, a retired Canadian diplomat who campaigns against Valencia’s “Land Grab” law.

“There is no legal certainty in Spain. It is certainly not going to improve the country’s reputation for being a place to which you can retire in peace.”

Yesterday the inhabitants of Vera expressed particular outrage at how the Priors’ home was destroyed. “It was the way it was done. To give somebody two hours to get their belongings out – it’s inhumane. It’s not the way things are done,” a neighbour said.

The local mayor, Félix López Caparrós, said that the Priors had fallen victim to a planning dispute between the town hall and the regional government. “We have become the scapegoat in this battle,” he added.

He said that the demolition was illegal because the regional authorities had not awaited the verdict of a court appeal.

A spokesman for the regional government of Andalusia said that he had no information on the incident.

The Spanish Government are being devious and outrageous towards innocent people. Everyone who has been affected by this should club together and take the Spanish Government to the European Courts for compensation.

laurie sicard-askey, kingston,

I am absolutely shocked! What a brutal act against humanity.
It is only comparable with the pseudo-war situation along
the Israeli-Palestinian border. To bulldoze houses is there
an act of revenge or whatsoever the reason is for such doing. But in this case we have a couple of old-age pensioner.
What have they done to deserve this? To build a house in a
so-called green belt area is not permitted in lots of countries.
It seems that the Priors are casualities of a clash of interests
between the local authorities and the regional government.
Let us encourage the Priors to fight for her right before the European Court of Justice. Or better to fight before the European Court of Human Rights? I am not an attorney but
I feel they have a good chance to overrule the brutale inhumane decision of the regional government in Spain.
It is important to find and to adjudge the person in charge.
Please keep us informed in this matter.

Wolfgang Weiss, Dortmund, Germany

This is also a prima facia breach of the Human Rights Act which entitles everyone to enjoy their property, and live without persecution from the government.

Among other things, if the government are alledging the building was illegal, they are entitled to due process in the courts before their property (or liberty) is taken. There is no loophole for the Spanish government, regardless of any laws they may have passed in that country or region. The Human Rights Act takes precedence.

If they were found to be at fault after due process, they would still be 'protected' from such inhumane 'punishment', so substantial damages over and above the value of the property destroyed should be due, because of the lack of notice given.

Of course the victims would still need funding to pursue the case, and it would take years.

Matt Langley, Crawley, West Sussex.

It's an absolutely illegal act, the couple must appeal against the court's decision without any doubts.

Andrey, Odessa, Ukraine

The Spanish have already killed off property investment - and can now expect a mass exodus.

The Andalusian gocernment must be staffed by brainless fools.

In the same posiition as the Prior's - I would be more than just angry.....

Richard, Bucharest,

Having got relations living abroad (NOT in Spain) I appreciate how much effort it takes to create an idylic home. Because of this I really feel for the Priors and can't imagine how much stress this whole fiasco must be causing them. I just hope that whoever was responsible for it is brought to justice and although unlikely, made personally accountable for restoring their home to how it was.

John, Derbyshire,

if the spanish goverment go ahead with their threat to demolish the illegal builds i would have thought half of the county will have to be pulled down.
spain and corruption go hand in hand i'm afraid

martin , granada, andalucia

To E. Purgold regarding his comment on Mike Berlin

Both have lost their houses - but the Palestinians have lost their land as well as their houses.

Don't you have any compassion for those who are suffering and having there homes demolished for what ever reason is given- greenbelt or terrorism. Some of these people are not involved in terrorism but just trying to survive.
To see your country and your home destroyed would drive most people to terrorism / war (depending on how you define it)

Andj, London,

The times(and every other newspaper) is failing in itÂ´s duty to itÂ´s readers if it does not headline Â´DANGER DO NOT BUY IN SPAINÂ´. This situation is now out of control and the regional government of Andalucia is leading the way in reversing written planning approvals given by local authorities . Solicitors have, quite reasonably, advised people previously that they are safe to buy a property if the have a formal planning approval. Now however, no-one is safe in buying any property in Spain outside city urbanisations either new or secondhand.This is becoming infinitely worse than the Â¨Valencian land grab

John Morrell, Almeria, Spain

Yet another 'nail in the coffin' of Spain as far as I am concerned
- what are these silly buggers doing in the common market? Their Government belongs in the dark ages. More chauvinistic
than French officialdom & that really IS saying something!

D.O'Rorke, Farnham, Surrey, UK

What's Brussels doing about the Land Grab situation, and the corruption in Spain?? They should be sorting this out instead of some of the other irritating things they do!

Louis, Braintree,England, Braintree, England

canÂ´t Priors sue the government of andalucia for damages, as long as they acted conform a public institution decision which had awarded the required planning permission?

peme, canterbury,

I suppose that's one way to cool off an overheated real estate market. . .

Michael, Pueblo, Colorado, US

No doubt cleared away to make a freeway bypass.

I think I'll grab my towel and go have a couple of pints of Guinness.

Richard L. Kent, Eastpointe, Michigan, USA

Posters like Mike Berlin! What's Israel got to do with retirement homes in Spain? A big fat zero. You are in Berlin but you know you sound like a racist! Really. Dragging non-sequiturs in like that! FYI the average retiree in Spain is not sheltering suicide bombers! By the way people who buy land in Spain think that it belongs to them. Use your spell checker too if you can't spell

E. Purgold, Cambs, UK

It might be worth remembering, Mike of Berlin, that according to the report above, the Priors have not fired a single rocket into Spanish civliian areas... or anywhere, for that matter.

Nick, Rotherham, UK

Oh no! Corruption is fighted in Spain !!!!
People who were willing to make money building in non urban land are now going to think twice. How is that for a "not normal" Government? By the way, i pity the Priors, and I hope they sue their solicitor and the local mayor, who are the true responsables for this situation. The actual Government (or just a part of it) is only trying to make of Spain a "normal" country. And Fernando, i am not going to vote socialist.....

Laura, BCN, EU

It's simple. New elections are coming, polls are tight, and the Socialists need all the votes they can get. By presenting themselves as the Champions-Of-Environment-Against-Corruption they expect to get hold of the votes of the ultra-environmentalist, radical youth. Of course, the poor Priors have been used as scapegoats. And they will not be alone.

Fernando, Barcelona, Spain

Sadly, its the same way the Stalinist government treats people in not-Great Britain / disUnited Kingdom!

stuart, dublin, ireland

This is only the first of 17 houses ordered for demolition, the other 16 (also owned by Spanish expats) will be demolished in the next few days according to local sources, 5 in Vera and the rest in Albox.
These will be the first of many!

David Jackson, Vera, Almeria, Spain

Truly inhuman.
Its worth remembering though that the Israeli government do this to Palestinians every day. And that is there land.

Mike, Berlin,

I agree Fernando, this wouldn't have happened under a "normal" government.

Avril, Madrid, Spain

Now you know how the Socialists treat people in Spain.

Fernando, Barcelona, Spain