Property
be Ma s m t p laga ag ro ’s az pe in rty e
www.theolivepress.es
Issue 28
April 2019
PLASTIC FANTASTIC: How this remarkable centre could win Spain important architectural prize, See page IV
WOAH: Emerging from the rock, this stunning home in Valencia is trademark Fran Silvestre, a Spanish architect who is continuing to make his mark in the architectural world. See Fran-tastic page XVI
Rock steady
T
HE average property price in Spain has grown for two consecutive years for the first time in a decade. The national average house price rose from between 3.9% to 8.4%, according to various sources. Along the Mediterranean coasts and on the islands, where most foreigners buy, the average price hike has been 4.06%, according to Tinsa, Spain’s leading property appraisal company. But the figures have mostly not yet made up for the big drops during the long six year recession, with the exception of the
Prices rise for two consecutive years, while mortgage values continue to grow
Balearic Islands. “Prices have been rising most years since the recovery began, but nothing like they did in the boom years, and nowhere near enough to claw back the ground lost in the bust,” explained respected analyst Mark Stucklin, of Spanish Property Insight.
However, he added ‘at the very least, the data suggests that the Spanish property continued to grow last year.’ Mortgage lending to home buyers meanwhile was up 6.1% in January to 19,390 new loans, according to the Association of Spanish Notaries. The average new loan made in January had a value of €135,616, an increase of 0.9% in a year. As long as mortgage lending for residential acquisitions continues to increase, as it has done for the last few years, the Spanish property market is set to grow.
PROPERTY
II
April 2019
End of a golden era? EU condemns Golden Visa investmentfor-residency scheme popularised by Spain, writes Mark Stucklin
P
RESSURE is building in the EU to end so-called ‘Golden Visa’ schemes that offer residency and even citizenship in return for mo-
ney. Back in January the European Commission expressed its opposition to
Golden Visa and Golden Passport schemes in Europe like the one in Spain that offers qualified residency and a path to long-term citizenship in return for an equity investment of €500,000 or more in property. Now the EU’s parliament in Strasbourg has added its voice to the condemnation of residency-by-investment programmes in Europe, with a vote supporting a hard-hitting report from the parliament’s committee on financial crime and tax evasion calling for all Golden Visa schemes to be
GAME OVER?: EU report calls for Golden Visa schemes to be ‘phased out’
‘phased out’ as soon as possible. are a gateway for money laundering The parliament passed a resolution and organised crime,” said Markus stating that residency and citizenship Ferber, head of the conservative group by investment schemes ‘do not offset in the parliament’s economic commithe serious security, money launde- ttee. ring and tax evasion risks they pre- In response, the Investment Migration sent’. The resolution is Council, representing non-binding on memthe residency-by-investber states. industry, claimed Unlike Portugal, ment EU lawmakers see the that killing the schemes business of selling visas would cause economic the Spanish and passports as an indamage and threaten Golden Visa vitation to tax-evasion vital investments in ‘peand money-laundering scheme has not ripheral economies’. The Spanish Golden by wealthy individuals from countries where attracted scandal Visa was introduced by the right-wing Popular corruption is rife. The Party in 2013 during report also accused Luxembourg, Cyprus, Ireland, Malta, the depths of Spain’s recession when Hungary, Belgium and the Nether- times were hard, money short and lands of acting as tax havens. property abundant. Too bureaucratic “A good first step to combat intra-EU and unattractive, at first it was a flop money laundering would be to get rid but after tweaking to make it more of the so-called ‘golden visas’ which attractive to residency investors it be-
ANDERS@ABCPROPERTYEXPERTS.COM GERRY@ABCPROPERTYEXPERTS.COM WWW.ABCPROPERTYEXPERTS.COM
came the most popular scheme in the EU, with 24,755 Golden Visa issued since 2013, according to a Transparency International report published in 2018. Unlike Portugal, the Spanish Golden Visa scheme hasn’t been hit by any scandals, at least not yet. Now the Socialists are at least temporarily in power in Spain, supported by the hard left Podemos party, and with a General Election coming this month opposition to the Spanish Golden Visa scheme might soon come from closer to home. Obviously the hard left hate the scheme because it attracts foreigners with money to Spain. If the left win power in the General Election, will they keep the Spanish Golden Visa scheme alive or close it down? It’s clear that the powers that be in the EU would urge them to do so. www.spanishpropertyinsight.com
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III
April 2019
ICONIC: Post office in Malaga
Top marks for Germans GERMAN buyers had a record-breaking 2018 in Spain, new figures have revealed. The Germans bought 4,902 homes last year, up 3% on the previous year, and more than 100% up on 2013.
Overtake However the Germans have now overtaken the French as the second biggest group of foreign buyers after the British, representing 9.7% of the foreign market in 2018, compared to 8.8% for France and 15.5% for the UK. There was however a decline in demand from Germany in the last two quarters of 2018.
Malaga makeover I
Malaga makeover II
MALAGA’S iconic post office is set for a makeover thanks to a group of Belgian investors. It comes after the building was handed to the Junta from Madrid as a way of cancelling out a historic debt of €30 million. It is currently earmarked for public use but Malaga city hall wants to re-zone the property for it to be developed privately.
A STUNNING Roman ruin is to be converted into a new cultural centre. A million euro project will renovate and protect the ancient sixth century bathhouse in Rincon de la Victoria for tourists. Spain’s Ministry of Public Works is to stump up 70% of the funds for the Axarquia project. Archaeologists discovered the baths, which have a series of stunning mosaics, in 1989.
NEW LOOK: Roman ruins in Rincon de la Victoria
BIG SPLASH Huge new €150 million hotel with 11 swimming pools coming to Costa del Sol A MASSIVE hotel project counting on a dozen swimming pools is set to make a big splash on the Costa del Sol this year. The Ikos Andalusia project
will also include seven restaurants, as well as a theatre, spa and huge sports centre. Costing €150 million, the 15-month project will see the hotel opening in Estepona in May 2020. Built on the site of the former Princess Hotel, it is the first hotel built in Spain by huge Greek hotel chain Ikos. FIVE STAR: Rooms will be of a luxury standard “This has
What a view! A MASSIVE €130 million is to be invested into a new development in Benahavis. The View Marbella will consist of 120 luxury apartments spread over a 50,000sqm plot, with work scheduled to begin within two months. The impressive project will feature a spa, swimming pools, gardens, 24 hour security and a concierge service. The homes, built by Wilma Europe Holding and Sierra Blanca Global, will offer ‘impressive panoramic views’ and will help create 250 direct jobs and around 500 indirect ones.
COMING SOON: The View
HUGE: Ikos Andalusia will be open by May 2020
been the largest investment on the Costa del Sol in recent years and one of the most important in Spain in 2018,” explained a spokesman. He added that the resort
would become ‘the hallmark of the all-inclusive concept of luxury at an international level.’ Spread over 33,000sqm, the resort will have 411 rooms which have been designed to reach five-star ratings.
Corfu The 11 outdoor pools and one indoor pool will be surrounded by canopies and native vegetation and will sit in the centre of seven blocks organised in a U-shape formation. The project is being constructed by UTE Acciona Construcciones and Sando and will be Ikos’s fifth resort, with locations already including Cos and Corfu.
Rural SOS HUNDREDS of thousand of protesters have descended on Madrid demanding an urgent investment into Spain’s dying towns and villages. The protesters insisted that something must be done to help the country’s isolated rural communities that are vanishing at an alarming rate. Dubbed the ‘revolt of an empty Spain’ they are demanding better infrastructure, investment and services. It comes after it emerged that almost half of Spain’s municipalities have a population density less than 12.5 inhabitant per square kilometer, a ratio considered ‘very low’ by the EU. Guadalajara province counts on the lowest density in Europe, and less than much of Russia. Between 2011 and 2017, approximately 62% of the country’s settlements lost inhabitants, and even many sizeable towns up to 50,000 people in size have seen a dramatic decline. “The hemorrhaging needs to be stopped,” said Spanish TV presenter Campo Vidal. “Today in Spain, 26 provincial capitals are losing inhabitants. If these key towns are declining, imagine what is happening to towns and villages! “We need to make urgent changes.” See Fighting Extinction, page XII
IV
April 2019
PROPERTY
Conference COOL Palencia’s plastic fantastic conference centre is bidding for best design award
I
S it a spaceship, an iceberg or a massive plastic bag? This extremist piece of architecture set in the extreme landscape of Extremadura is closest to the latter - a vast conference space wrapped in a translucent skin of energy-efficient plastic foil. In fact it is the Plasencia Auditorium and Congress Centre, one of five finalists shortlisted for the prestigious Mies van der Rohe Award, a biannual gong recog-
UNIQUE: Conference centre in Palencia fills with sunlight during the daytime due to plastic exterior
nising the best piece of architecture on the continent in the past two years. It was designed by José Selgas and Lucía Cano of Madrid firm SelgasCano who won a competition to design it back in 2005 but it was not completed until 2017 due to financial problems. Originally planned for a site on the urbanised northwest of town, instead the architects chose the opposite side where the wild natural landscape extends as far as
the eye can see. Although plastic has understandably not had a fantastic press, the material enabled the architects to create an eye-catching,
energy efficient building on a shoestring budget, a technique they have used in other iconic buildings such as their Serpentine Gallery Building in London. The faceted white façade emerging from the rust-coloured Extremadura landscape belies a vibrant interior filled with multicolored acrylic walls, brightly painted ceilings and dyed rubber flooring which glow invitingly through the translucent cladding at night. It has certainly made its mark on Palencia but will it impress the judges? The winner will be announced later this month. Other finalists include Skanderbeg Square by 51N4E, PC Caritas by Architecten de Vylder Vinck Taillieu, Terracehouse Berlin by Brandlhuber + Emde and Transformation of 530 dwellings by Frederic Druot Architecture, Lacaton & Vassal Architectes and Christophe Hutin Architecture.
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The Olive Press: Costa del Sol / Gib / Mallorca editions – 342mm x 256mm
10 April
VI
April 2019
PROPERTY
Set in stone
New Costa Brava property is expertly carved into rocky landscape
N
ORDEST Arquitectura has outdone itself with this ‘rock star’ home, carved into the mountainside of Begur, in Catalunya. The property exploits natural stone sourced directly from the site to create the illusion that it is growing out of the landscape. The staircase up to the entrance was excavated out of the bedrock while the sunken garden, complete with pool, uses the contours to shield it from strong winds sweeping over the hills. The main living space floats above the terrain in a cantilevered block with vast windows commanding views to the far horizon.
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VII
April 2019
PERFECTION: The home perfectly uses locally sourced stone to build a home into the rockface of Begur, in Catalunya, complete with an infinite swimming pool and jaw-dropping views
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VIII
April 2019
PROPERTY
PIXELATED: The architects behind this modern Menorca home say its blocks are inspired by pixels
THINK OUTSIDE THE BLOCKS A
COLLECTION of bright white cubes forms the just completed Villa Catwalk in Menorca. Designed by Barcelona-based Nomo Studio, the house in Coves Noves consists of two piles of bright white cubes placed on either side of a 28-metre-long central block, called the catwalk. The runway, part internal and part external, offers views of both the sea and mountains. “The platform was conceived as an outdoor space, which would house the most important common areas and could when necessary be protected from the wind through invisible sliding windows,” a spokesperson said. The cube units are described by the architects as ‘pixels’ and are arranged on a three by three by three grid and comprise five bedrooms and bathrooms, the kitchen and garage. “Breaking down the program into smaller units made the house look less massive and integrated into the landscape,” added the spokesperson.
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PROPERTY WELCOMING: The revamped 18th century guest house in Extremedura pays homage to its period features
XI
April 2019
Period drama Local heritage rescued from ruin by British couple
A
N architectural gem in Extremadura’s wine-growing region has been given a new lease of life as a family-run guest house. The 18th century private home, considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the town of Villalba de Los Barros, has been lovingly restored to its former glory by Madrid architects Lucas y Hernandez-Gil. Mortar walls, clay floors and original vaulted ceilings have been retained in a sensitive conversion for a British couple who wanted a guest house and a family home for their two children. Commanding pride of place in the main square of Tierra de Barros, La Hermandad de Villalba started welcoming guests this year. “The project underlines every single one of the home’s original strengths that were lost over time,” according to the architects, who installed a series of rustic living spaces, making sure to honour the original designs and outdoor space. “Simultaneously it adapts to and adds new uses, which can be seen from a contemporary perspective.” The property’s structural shell was retained by coating the existing walls with raw lime mortar before whitewashing. Local potters created clay tiles to replace the almost non-existent flooring while the original carved wooden doors were painted green in a nod to the region’s vineyards. The second floor, previously a larder and store for cured meats, has been entirely rearranged to accommodate four bedrooms.
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XII
April 2019
PROPERTY
Fighting extinction In rural Spain, humans are an endangered species despite initiatives to address the spectre of ‘ghost villages’. Heather Galloway reports from Guadalajara, the ‘Ground Zero’ of depopulation IT is hard work reaching paradise and there are more than a few potholes to negotiate along the way, but deep within an oak and pine forest in the province of Guadalajara lies the enclave of Fraguas, where a group of idealistic young men and women have breathed new life into a hamlet that was expropriated in 1968 by Franco’s dictatorship and reduced to rubble during military exercises in the 1980s. It is ‘the good life’ transported to one of the most severely depopulated areas of Spain in the region of Castilla La Mancha. And on a sunny Sunday in March, chatting over platefuls of beans, pizza and cold home-made beer, I could almost see myself there tilling the land and taking showers warmed by solar panels in the outhouse. “There are lot of initiatives all over Spain like this one,” says Jorge, an environmental science graduate who moved into a room above the workshop just over a year ago, after working on agricultural programs in Nepal. In fact, it was a ‘tour’ of similar collectives that brought him to Fraguas, which he considers a place of self-discovery
LIVING ON A PRAYER: Campaigners inside their home in Guadalajara ahead of potential sentencing while (top left) residents rebuilding town
and learning. “Everyone is welcome arguably go some way to easing its sehere,” he says. “You don’t need an area verity. However, as Fraguas lies within the protected boundaries of the Natural of expertise. You learn as you go.” Known as’ the Ground Zero of rural Park of the Sierra Norte de Guadalajadepopulation’, Guadalajara province ra, designated in 2011, the regional gocovers 4,200 km2 but has only 8,900 vernment is proving intransigent despite inhabitants, the equivalent of 2.1 peo- fierce local support for the collective. ple to every km2. In the nearest town of Arbancon, an But it is not alone. Much of Spain’s inte- elderly woman tells us: “These kids harior fanning north from Madrid is seeing ven’t done anything. I wouldn’t mind its inhabitants board up their homes to signing something to stop them from seek work and company in the cities or going to jail.” along the coast, a trend that began with Some 10 km from Fraguas, two other the much-documented Rural Exodus of villages are teetering on the brink of the 1960s. extinction: Arbancon has Burgos and Soria now 157 inhabitants; its neighbour, Monasterio, has have 162 and 116 villa‘There aren’t ges respectively with less just 11. It would seem than 100 inhabitants – a many of us and that, in the balance, any third of what there were sign of life is to be treawe don’t have sured. during the 1990s – while Teruel and Valladolid Sanz, spokesman much electoral Diego have some 90 villages for La Otra Guadalajara, weight’ between them hanging the provincial platform on by a thread. lobbying the government According to the goverto address the issue of nment’s Commission for Demographic dwindling numbers, tells me: “Initiatives Challenge, 53% of the country is at se- like Fraguas could have a place in rural rious risk of depopulation. Spain, but it’s a bit of a one-off. Really And last month a huge protest brought politicians should be coming up with hundreds of thousands of rural dwellers policies. There aren’t many of us and onto the streets of Madrid to highlight we don’t carry much electoral weight but the issue, a big contingent from Fragua. concentrating everyone in the big cities Back in 2013 when the first six settlers leads to environmental problems such arrived in Fragua, expertise was needed as urban pollution and rural degradaand there was plenty of it to go around. tion. All were graduates, some of architecture “We want to see tax incentives for small and engineering. And any gaps in their businesses – currently, a small shop owknow-how were plugged by friends who ner here in Alsustante, a village of just could easily be persuaded to make the 90 inhabitants, has to pay the same tax two-hour trip from Madrid to collabo- as if he had set up in the Puerta del Sol,” rate in the resurrection of a village that he adds. once consisted of 23 homes, 80 inha- On the last day of March, La Otra bitants and a town hall that doubled as Guadalajara was joined by 15 other a jail! platforms from across rural Spain - inIt is these pioneers, known as ‘the Fra- cluding Soria Ya! and Teruel Existe! - in a gua Six’, who are now just months away demonstration in the capital to highlight from being put behind bars themselves. the problem and urge politicians to put Last May they were sentenced to a it on their agenda. year-and-a-half of jail time on top of a But as the Mayor of Olmeda de la Cues€2,700 fine to pay for the demolition ta in Cuenca, 51-year-old José Luis of the handful of houses they have so Regacho Duque pointed out: “None of the political parties are involved in beautifully restored. It is a strange twist to a tale of innocence the demonstration. Politicians don’t do and renewal that may not solve Spain’s anything if it’s not for votes. And there’s rural depopulation problem but could only a handful of us.”
XIII
April 2019 Municipalities that have lost population in the 21st century
HAD ENOUGH: Protests in Madrid over depopulation crisis
DESERTED: Areas in dark green are at most risk of abandonment and with a ‘very low’ population density
José Luis has featured in newspapers around the world for his tireless efforts to keep the village he grew up in on the map, turning it into a symbol of Spain’s rural depopulation crisis. During his childhood, Olmeda de la Cuesta had 300 inhabitants. In 2014, it was being hailed as Spain’s ‘oldest’ village as among the remaining 35 inhabitants the average age was 75. Now, he tells me, some of those have
departed not for the city but to ‘the other side’ and the official population has shrunk to 28. However, a scheme to sell off 250 m2 plots for the bargain price of €1,300 four years back means that six additional households now swell the figures on weekends and holidays. “There is an increasing tendency for initiatives like Fraguas,” says José Luis, who has a myriad of strategies aimed at turning the tide.
“I’m trying to get that kind of thing off the ground here, speaking to the owners of houses that have fallen into disrepair to see if they can be persuaded to allow volunteers to rebuild them in exchange for free rent for a period of, say, 20 years. “If people want to start a market garden and try self-reliant living, there is plenty of land,” he adds, explaining that only last week a group of artists from Madrid
approached him over such a possibility. Nor is he ruling out the villages’ potential as a tourist attraction; a series of stone and iron sculptures as well as a Guernica Tree symbolising peace have meant the village now gets its share of visitors. But the scale of these initiatives in no way matches the size of the problem. “The government needs to see this is as seriously as what is happening in Catalunya,” he says. “They do a lot of talking but they must put the money where their mouths are. The central government should allow the council to have more of a free reign when it comes to abandoned properties. Because if there were more people here, we could provide jobs for the unemployed in Madrid. We could produce clean energy. We have a lot of resources.” And he is not the only one trying to persuade owners of abandoned or ruined houses to part with their property. Two estate agents, Aldeas Abandonadas and Galician Country Homes, are making good business out of sorting through the paperwork so that small, uninhabited hamlets can find new owners. “Now with Internet and globalisation, it’s feasible to get back to our roots,” says Rosi Adkinson, whose British hus-
band Mark set up Galician Country Homes 15 years ago. “Mark and I live in one of Galicia’s smallest villages and we deal with people in over 150 countries around the world,” she says. Rosi has watched the business boom over the last three years and says 90% of her clients are British. “But we also have people from Canada and there’s even a businessman from Afghanistan. The people we sell to want to integrate and respect the environment. Some are looking for a place their extended family can come to, some want to set up a rural hotel and we had a group who wanted somewhere they could retire together.” Prices range from €60,000 to over a €1 million, depending on the state of the hamlet in question and its location and viability for business.But whatever the starting price, Rosi explains, it will probably cost over €1 million by the time the buyer is finished the renovation work, though EU grants may cover 45% of the cost. It is obviously a more commercial scheme than those being proposed by José Luis. But the mayor of Olmeda de la Cuesta is far from against it. “It could be the only way to repopulate the countryside,” he says. “To stop us being the Lapland of the south.”
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2 bed 1 bath apartment Located on Beach front Large panoramic aspect views Parking Space Permits
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PROPERTY
XV
April 2019
Advertorial
M1 Legal are fast becoming the new ‘heroes’ in timeshare claims M1 are producing some amazing results right now and are becoming the ‘heroes’ against the timeshare resorts. In the last week of March they reported five victories totalling £95,918.18.
– in all 15 cases, the defence argued that the case should not be heard in Spain claiming that the contract fell under English law, this was overruled and have now been re-submitted.
2019: £1/2 million awards so far
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in
To date for 2019, M1 have secured 27 victories whereby timeshare resorts have been ordered to pay funds totalling £499,636.02. On top of that 15 victories have been secured on jurisdiction
• 576 cases in the courts • 251 cases being prepared COMING UP: for UK couple
€20,684
In a few weeks time, we have another happy ECC
(European Consumer Claims) client flying to our Spain office who have given M1 permission to use their story. They have received the sum of €20,684.02 and this will be featured in the next issue. For any timeshare enquiries regarding this story call 0034 951 562209 or email pr@ m1legal.com Maxima 1 Legal S.L. is regulated by the Claims Management Regulator in respect of regulated claims under registration number: CRM44126.
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XVI
April 2019
Fran-tastic
PROPERTY
Spanish architect blazes a white-hot trail across the world with his signature designs
R
ENOWNED Va l e n c i a n ‘starchitect’ Fran Silvestre has unveiled his latest jaw-dropping home in Portugal (right). The curiously-contoured property on the fringes of Lisbon, sits atop a golf course with distant views of the capital city. Consisting of two elongated box shapes joined at the base - one wing for communal living areas, the other for private spaces - the head-turning home completed last month was commissioned by an unnamed but ‘very wealthy family’. They had requested an open plan abode which was also very private and nestled into the landscape.
Silvestre, head of multi award-winning Valencia firm Fran Silvestre Arquitectos, has become a household name in recent years for his iconic houses which are predominantly white with edgy, clean cut lines. On his seeming obsession with white, Silvestre explains: “We use white for three reasons. “There is a strong contrast between blue and white. It is a symbol of culture. The second reason is scientific. When you have a white interior it makes it look more spacious. “There is also the thermic question. You cannot have a big black box under the Spanish sun. And lastly, it is the subjective reasons about the perception of beauty.” Join us on a tour of his most impressive works around Spain.
COMPLETE: Fran Silvestre’s latest home in Portugal is now ready for a ‘very wealthy family’ who asked for a property with ‘privacy’ which was immersed into the landscape
CLIFF EDGE: This huge mansion in Alicante is one of Silvestre’s most famous works, offering unbeatable views and an enviable infinity swimming pool
XVII
April 2019
CONTRAST: This home in Valencia takes on a different look at night and is true Silvestre style with sleek white lines aplenty
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PROPERTY
XVIII
April 2019
Fran-tastic cont.
Continuing a tour of Spanish architect Fran Silvestre’s homes, this Valencia project has the effect of protruding from the rocky landscape, a common theme in the maestro’s work
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XIX
April 2019 SLEEK: This home in Sotogrande is cooler than cool and comes complete with swimming pool and rooftop ‘chillout’ area
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PROPERTY
Grass with class April 2019
INSTAGENIC: Eyecatching products like esparto cacti have generated a buzz on social media
Esparto is no longer just for espadrilles as the world warms to the eco credentials of Andalucia’s ‘green’ grass of home, writes Dierdre Tynan
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MULTI-PURPOSE: Esparto blinds repel insects and preserve the ambient temperature of rooms
ROM rustic Andalucian kitchens to Insta-cool loft living in Manhattan, the traditional Spanish craft of esparto grass weaving is making a comeback in the most unexpected places. The material once used for Spanish peasant footwear and shopping baskets is enjoying a revival in high-end interior decor thanks to its versatility and vegan credentials. Business has never been brisker at the artisan workshops of Perez y Perez in the pretty historic village of Porcuna in northern Jaen province, where craftsmen have been making traditional esparto products since 1957. However of late the family-owned business has branched out into commercial designs with international appeal that run to a lot more than baskets, blinds and traditional bulls’ heads. Think furniture, curtains, aw-
nings, umbrellas and even TV set designs. “We’ve had the privilege of making products for important businesses, companies and television programs like Kitchen Nightmares, La Peste and Still Star Crossed,” enthuses Vicente Perez Jimenez who learnt how to collect and weave the grass from his parents and grandparents as a child during the school holidays. Perez y Perez also works closely with fashion designers and stores across the Iberian Peninsula creating eye-catching window displays with textured lamps and matting in pale earthy tones, perfect for achieving ‘a touch of the desert’ says Vicente. Esparto’s global revival is thanks in part to its Instagram appeal with pictures of six foot esparto cacti (above)
gracing homes from Santa Fe to Copenhagen popping up all over the social media channel. A playful bulls head sent design mavens into overdrive when it was featured as an ‘object of desire’ on Remodelista.com, a cult American website dedicated to luxurious, eco-friendly interiors. Esparto weaving is an ancient skill specific to Mediterranean areas where the grass grows abundantly. The technique is virtually unchanged from the Neolithic period. Esparto grass baskets of more than 7,000 years old have been found in caves in Granada, while the ancient Greeks and
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XXI
April 2019 RESURGENCE: Trendy interior designers and native Andalucians are both behind the esparto renaissance
A genuine esparto product will contain only natural materials – such as grass, wood and sisal rope – to sew the plaits of esparto together. “We harvest the esparto in June, July and August from the Sierra Magina, the nearest Andalucian mountains to us,” says Vicente. “The harvest must be carried out with special care to leave enough fibres for the next harvest,”. The walls of the Perez y Perez workshop are lined with traditional and contemporary esparto designs inclu-
Phoenicians used it to make ropes for their boats. “We consider genuine esparto to be an ecological material since it is collected In the mountains, and no chemical or unnatural components are applied,” explains Vicente. “With proper use of the product, it does not require additional maintenance and once its useful life has ended, which can take decades, it can be used as fertiliser since it breaks down like any other plant,” he added.
ding baskets, mats and lampshades in a variety of styles, from understated to conversation starters. The display emphasises the two sides of the artisanal output – home crafts and high-end design on a commercial scale. “This work, like that of any other craftsman, requires a lot of time to learn. It’s will and persistence that allows you to understand and learn improvements to the trade,” says Vicente. “In our case, we work with multiple professionals in the world of
decoration - window dressers, interior designers, architects - which requires us to innovate continuously to adapt to their needs. Each new product requires a different technique of interlacing esparto.” One of the workshop’s biggest projects in 2017 involved creating an esparto lining for a 2,000 square metre co-working space at the Impact Hub in downtown Madrid. “It is the first building completely lined with this natural fibre and the environment this material creates in a room gives a great feeling of tranquility and harmony,” says Vicente. Native Andalucians are also driving
the esparto revival, remembering it from their childhoods and incorporating it in their modern homes for the same reason their grandparents did, as it is ideal for the local climate. Esparto blinds and curtains are a particular bestseller as they preserve ambient temperature in the home, they are anti-mite and naturally repel insects and noise in addition to their decorative appeal. Further info from the Perez y Perez online shop in English and Spanish: www. tienda.artesaniasperezyperez.com/en/
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in South East Asia. And, now the city has a huge investment worldwide potential – both because of the growing numbers of tourists, and as a result of investments by the government and foreign investors in the industrial zone of the East Coast. This, of course, attracts both investors and other categories of customers, from businessmen to retirees. Well-defined investment policy of the country focuses on the liberalization and promotion of free trade. Foreign investments, especially to improve the
knowledge, technology and innovation, meet the full support of the government. A UN inspection in 2004 called Thailand the fourth most attractive country for foreign direct investment. Purchase on completed or off-plan developments with confidence from trusted developers on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard with large portfolios of successful developments completed to date. You have the option to purchase your investment, for personal use, rental income or both.
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PROPERTY
XXII
April 2019
Blocked off
PETTY?: Blocks placed on terraces in row
PUERTO Banus has placed ugly anti-terrorist blocks on the terraces of businesses who are refusing to comply to rent hikes. It comes after the company behind the port announced it would increase the average square metre of terrace space by extra €480 per year, causing some business owners’ rents to soar by 700%. Some 25 shops, bars and restaurants claimed in a denuncia that the concessionary company also disabled their access cards, meaning they could not make deliveries. "It is a measure of harassment aimed at increasing the pressure on the owners to accept the new rules," the complaint read.
Green bridges are coming to Marbella to boost its environmental credentials
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A TRIO of ‘vertical gardens’ are set to be built in Marbella to brighten up the main road through the resort. The green installations are being added to three pedestrian overpasses around the town. Costing €150,000, each will have built-in irrigation systems with overflow channels underneath. One, beside the Puente Romano hotel (right) will see a 109 square-metre facelift, transforming it into a ‘network of flowers and shrubbery’. Meanwhile, the overpass near Juan Ramon Jimenez School on Avenida Canovas del Castillo
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PROPERTY MORTGAGE
XXIV
April 2019
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THINK TANK
Keep calm Latest figures show expansion is slowing but there’s no reason to panic, writes Tancrede de Pola
T
HE number of homes sold in Spain in January barely increased compared to the same month last year, new figures have shown. According to the Spanish Land Registrar, some 42,850 homes were sold in the first month of this year, just above the 42,745 sold in January 2018. Small markets saw strong growth in the likes of Extremadura, Huelva and Teruel, but tourist hotspots, including the Canary Islands, the Balearics, Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca all saw a year-on-year drop in sales. But what does this mean? While on a national level there has been an increase in sales, the figures to some suggest that the expansion enjoyed over the last few years could be slowing down.
It is the first time growth has been in the low single digits for three consecutive months since the market turned the corner around the end of 2014. In fact growth has been consistently lower since May last year. However, sales were up in the Catalan provinces including Barcelona, the Costa Brava, and Costa Dorada, perhaps because the political problems in Catalunya no longer alarm investors. This could be a sign of things to come for the Costas when the Brexit fiasco is finally dealt with. Uncertainty surrounding the UK’s divorce
is no doubt having an impact on British buyers, the biggest foreign market for Spanish property by far. Once some certainty is brought back - and hopefully a soft a Brexit as possible - the pound will likely bounce back strong and buyers will feel more comfortable taking the plunge. It’s also important to remember the property figures tend to be quite volatile, so we will get more of an idea of how much the steam is running out, if at all, in the next few months. So while it has been a slower start to the year, don’t panic, things are still looking healthy!
To contact Tancrede for all your mortgaging needs call: 666 709 743 or for insurance queries call: 951 203 540 Email: tdp@thefinanacebureau.com The Finance Bureau Centro Commercial Guadalmina, 2nOffice No. 7 Guadalmina, 29670
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Within metres of the Governor’s Residence, The Mews is an enclave of 7 boutique houses and apartments each meticulously designed and built to a flawless standard, drawing on its unique gated location in the heart of the old town.
Four contemporary mews-style houses will be built on the foundations of the 19th-century stables, at the rear of the original, grand Victorian house, which will itself be refurbished to provide 2 thoughtfully designed apartments and a stunning duplex penthouse, commanding spectacular views. Mews houses are, by their nature, located in the very best parts of town. Providing a safe, traffic free environment that is both practical, and hugely charming.
PROPERTY DETAILS MEWS HOUSES Prices start from £750,000 Roof terrace with stunning views & optional jacuzzi hot tub. Master suite comprising Juliet balcony, fully fitted walk-in wardrobe & a luxury en-suite. 3 bedrooms 2 bathrooms 1 guest toilet Apartments & Duplex Penthouse details & POA
These carefully crafted prestigious homes have been designed to capture and celebrate the unique aesthetic of Gibraltar’s Old Town, melding light, space and structure to provide a traditional, yet contemporary interior design scheme that compliments its unique heritage.
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PROPERTY
XXVI
April 2019
Go go Gaudi Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia finally receives planning permission, 136 years after building work began IT is one of the longest-running building projects in the world. Under construction since 1882, Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Familia cathedral is now finally edging one step closer to completion. It comes after the building, designed by Antoni Gaudi, got final planning permission after a two year tussle between authorities and the
Airb’n see ya OVER 95% of the rentals on Airbnb in Madrid have been ruled illegal. It comes after the city ruled that all properties that rent for over 90 days a year need to get a special tourist licence. They will only be issued for properties that have their own private access to the street, independent of other neighbours. The law has been brought in to prevent an increase in the number of tourists staying in housing blocks and to prevent a worrying rise in gentrification.
Catholic church. The functioning church, which is visited by 4.5m visitors a year, and counts on Unesco world heritage status is now set to be completed by 2026. Gaudi took on the project in 1883 after the original designer quit and worked on the project for the rest of his life. The famous architect was advised to put his plans and ideas down on paper but he
ICONIC: The Sagrada Familia
White out THE number of deaths resulting from heat waves each year could be reduced by painting roofs white, according to new research. Scientists in the UK have found painting roofs in colours that reflect the sun can keep buildings significantly cooler. Dr Clare Heaviside of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute, said: “Climate change
agreed to pass the final stages of planning permission after the Catholic Church, which owns the site, agreed to pay €34 million towards community projects. If followed, Gaudi’s original design would require the demolition of almost two blocks near the site. The President of the project’s construction board Esteve Camps said: overheating in cities. “As the heirs of “Building interventions Gaudi we want have the potential to reto push his vision through to duce this risk.” the end.”
never did so before before being hit by a tram and killed in 1926. Barcelona’s city council
and increasing urbanisation mean that future populations are likely to be at increased risk of
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O
UTDOOR furniture is so important when living on the Costa del Sol. The outdoors here become an extension of the lounge with the same comfort but the added bonus of dining or lounging under the stars. There is such a large choice of furniture and decoration for the terrace now ranging from all weather rattan, wood, aluminium to outdoor rugs, to mention but a few. Here are three top tips from White Design Company when considering new furniture or decoration. 1.
2.
3.
Before you purchase your outdoor or glass curtain area furniture, you should analyse the space where it will go. Think about what you’ll need it for. Is it for lavish dinner parties or quiet newspaper-and-coffee mornings? Or simply lounging? How many people will you be to catering for? Does the space get a lot of sun or wind? We can quite often help with multipurpose pieces to accommodate smaller areas. Dining and lounging in one for example. If you are buying a dining table and chairs we will measure the space you have. Keep in mind that the chairs around the table need approx. 60cm of space behind to move the chair out and ideally another 60cm for people to walk around. Oval or Round tables also allow for an extra chair or two to be added with comfort when required. Which materials you choose is also very important. It must be durable to withstand the elements, but you also want it to look nice and be low maintenance. Weather can have a serious effect on your furniture. The summer sun and the cold winter can be brutal on furniture. Here’s some information on some of the most popular materials: All Weather Rattan, which is wrapped around a steel or aluminium frame, making it more durable and easier to clean. Wrought iron is indestructible but can rust easily. If the paint chips, it’ll need to be touched up. It’s heavy, so it’s best for patios or decked areas rather than for grass. Aluminium or powder coated aluminium is lighter than wrought iron and doesn’t rust.
This may come with a wood look material, glass or textylene for comfort. Natural Wicker is more fragile for the outdoors, still nice for a terrace that is covered in with perhaps glass curtains. It is always a good idea to varnish the natural Rattan once a year to keep it in good condition. Outdoor furniture made out of wood makes for a nice earthy look but it will change as the sun and rain hits it. Teak is the toughest of the woods and will need treated every year but is always lovely. And finally, resin not the most comfortable without cushions but often a good choice when renting your holiday home.
tel: 952 49 41 55 info@whitedesignco.com Mon-Fri: 10.00-18.00 Sat: 10.00-14.00 La Cala de Mijas, Mijas Costa 29649 www.whitedesignco.com
XXVIII April 2019
PROPERTY Albarracin, Teruel Height: 1,182 Population: 1,054
ANCIENT: Roman bridge is stunning feature of Navarredonda de Gredos in Avila, pictured from above below Navarredonda de Gredos, Avila Height: 1,523m Population: 458
STUNNING: Albarracin has some of the most incredible Moorish and medieval architecture in Spain and has been crowned the country’s ‘most beautiful’ town in the past
Getting high You’ll have to work hard to find better views at Spain’s most vertiginous villages
Y
OU’VE heard of the ‘most beautiful towns in Spain’ list, but now there’s a new way to rank the incredible collection of hilltop white villages dotted around the country by how high above sea level they are. Spain’s cliff-hanging enclaves hark back to the times of medieval conquest and even Roman occupation when they were built strategically on summits to command the best view of enemy invasions.
However as populations continue to move to the cities and coastlines, these historic marvels are coming under threat. While some have benefited from nearby ski resorts, others are facing extinction with populations as low as 41. Below we have rounded up a guide to some of the loftiest villages from around the country which you should visit while you have the chance.
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Bronchales, Teruel Height: 1,575 Population: 480
XXIX
April 2019 Gudar, Teruel Height: 1,588 Population: 73
JAW-DROPPING: Gudar (above) nestled atop a hill while the charming Meranges and Navadijos (below) have less than 150 inhabitants between them
Meranges, Girona Height: 1,539m Population: 91
Navadijos, Avila Height: 1,520m Population: 41
T: +34 956 793 200 E: info@sotograndesales.com www.sotograndesales.com
SOTOGRANDE COSTA KINGS & QUEENS - S323 Beds 7 · Baths 7
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Build 549 m2 · Plot 1928 m2
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Beds 5 · Baths 5
Beds 5 · Baths 5
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XXX
April 2019
PROPERTY Hoyos de Miguel Munoz, Avila Height: 1,534m Population: 43
Valdelinares, Teruel Height: 1,692 Population: 120
COMPACT: Valdelinares’ tightly knit homes give a strong impact form afar while (left) Roman pillars still stand strong in the ancient town, which is home to just 120 people
Griegos, Teruel Height: 1,601 Population: 143
AGONY Property ANT YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS ADDRESSED BY ANTONIO FLORES
Immunity and impunity Antonio Flores explains how the Crown Dependencies are likely to be immune from Brexit, while an unprecedented civil fraud trial begins in Spain
F
OR financial and insurance compa- tial fees for managers and brokers. nies based in the Crown Dependen- Many of these victims have lost substancies (Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jer- tially, and some have nothing to show for sey), the advent of the long-awaited it. Brexit will have no impact whatsoever, as In these Crown Dependencies, the word these territories are not part of the Eu- ‘consumer’ has no space. ropean Union (EU) and are not included Fortunately, Spain thinks differently and within the scope of the UK’s membership in the first of its kind, a case for civil of the EU. fraud against Old Mutual International Because but for those very companies, Isle of Man is going to trial in Marbella, whether ‘Brexiteers’ or ‘Remainers’, ope- on the 20/5/2019. rating within the EU was neNot even the best lawver a problem despite not yers money could buy has being licensed, authorized saved this company from They were or regulated. being closer to having its illegally selling best-preserved secret aiBut how so? If we take the example of red publicly: that they were insurance in Spain, the likes of Old Muillegally selling insurance in Spain for years Spain, for years, with absotual International, RL 360 or Generali have operated lute impunity. with impunity with infinite impunity for If the Court of First Instanyears, selling all manner ce rules that Old Mutual of unregulated single-predid indeed operate in Spain mium life insurance policies or, rather unregulated, hundreds - thousands perfancifully described, investment-linked haps - could follow suit and trigger yet assurance schemes (‘ILAS’) through another scandal in the already dubious equally unregulated brokers. Isle of Man, where insurance represents It is believed that British expats in Spain 14% of the economy (and financial servihave tens of millions deposited in a vast ces more than 32%). array of financial and investment pro- To be updated on this case you can call ducts that these insurance platforms pe- or email us and of course, feel free to ddled for years, in exchange for substan- attend the public trial should you wish.
Email Antonio at aflores@lawbird.com
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