Housing halt

MAR Menor is set to receive enhanced protection through a new urban planning ban. Recently, the regional government approved a decree law to extend the existing freeze on urban development in the area.

The decision comes in response to the urgency of preventing the environment from being left ‘unprotected’ as the current three ­ year freeze was about to expire.

The ban will remain in effect until the initial approval of the Land Management Plan for the Mar Menor.

The decree law aims to restrict new developments in specified areas. It suspends the granting of authorisations for various projects, including housing and industrial ventures, while excluding solar energy facilities. Additionally, it emphasises the need for sustainability measures and nature ­ based solutions in ongoing projects.

The creation of this urgent decree ­ law by the President of PP in Murcia and the acting president of Murcia Fernando Lopez Miras comes after an extension to the existing moratorium proposed by PSOE was rejected by PP and Vox. Lopez Miras lat ­ er confirmed that the proposal by PSOE contained many technical errors which would have left the Mar Menor unprotected if approved.