San Javier council has approved selected housing and planning measures under the Region of Murcia’s Affordable Housing Decree-Law. The decision, adopted at the council meeting on 16 October, aims to encourage protected and affordable homes for both purchase and rent, with specific exceptions for La Manga del Mar Menor.
The Popular group voted in favour, while the other municipal groups abstained. Planning councillor Antonio Marcelo Martínez presented a combination of property reuse, planning incentives and simpler administrative procedures, rather than applying every option offered by the regional decree across the municipality.
Changes of use and La Manga exclusions
One measure allows land and buildings designated for tertiary, commercial or office uses to be used for protected housing. La Manga del Mar Menor is excluded from that provision. The agreement also covers converting commercial premises into protected homes, but excludes La Manga’s main shopping streets in order to preserve their economic and tourism activity.
Protected residential use will also be compatible with certain public facilities. Educational and healthcare facilities are excluded, meaning that the agreement does not extend this option to those services.
Planning incentives and simpler procedures
The package includes a building capacity bonus linked to the construction of protected housing. It also proposes a unified residential project procedure as a way to simplify planning management and reduce processing times.
For residential growth, the council proposes restricting application to developable sectors and areas whose detailed development plans have already been approved. The stated aim is to ensure that growth is supported by appropriate infrastructure, public facilities and services.
Other measures in the decree are not considered appropriate for local application. These include provisions concerning unfinished buildings or developments, as well as certain building capacity bonuses associated with rehabilitation, decontamination or archaeological and palaeontological constraints. The planning department says these situations have little or no incidence in the municipality.
The decision concerns planning tools, not a scheme allocating homes or an announcement that properties are already available. The council’s communication does not specify how many new homes will result or provide a timetable for their delivery.
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