Mallorca plans curbs on homes on small rural plots
Mallorca’s rural plots under 14,000 square metres could face new restrictions on building homes. Agriculture minister Joan Simonet defended the proposed farming law in the Balearic Parliament in Palma, Mallorca, on Tuesday, 13 October. MPs challenged him over what it would mean for farmland and housing.
What would change for rural homes
Simonet said the law aims to help farms make money without relying solely on subsidies. Its measures would be voluntary, allowing farmers to choose what suits their holdings.
For new homes on rural land, however, the part of the plot not occupied by the house would have to remain in agricultural use. Simonet said the draft offers several ways to meet that condition. The remaining land could be tied to a farm or handed to a public authority for 15 years. Other options include investing in a farm or compensating a farmer in the area.
Farmland or housing
Socialist MP Malena Riudavets warned that homes on farmland drive up land prices, making farms harder to keep going or start. She called for stronger protection of productive land.
Vox MP Patricia de las Heras argued that the rules would put another obstacle in the way of building homes during the Balearics’ housing shortage. Simonet replied that farming, too, needs land.
The draft also gives agriculture priority if water use is disputed on rural land. Simonet said it seeks to increase the use of reclaimed water.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com