Else Beekman
This August, Ibiza made headlines across local, regional, and national media with stories of illegal settlements being cleared. The settlement, or better said ‘slum’ was in Can Rova, were people with no place else to live set up there improvised homes. The Santa Eulària Town Council has now initiated urban planning enforcement against several residents of makeshift homes in the area, following a previous eviction of the original Can Rova settlement near the Sant Antoni road.
The council’s proceedings, dated October 4, target individuals who have built temporary shelters out of wooden pallets and other materials. The notifications have primarily been issued to those who built structures. Meanwhile, residents living in caravans or motorhomes have reportedly not been targeted. According to the council, these actions violate urban planning regulations due to the lack of official permits for constructing such shelters. If the residents fail to comply, the council has the authority to seal off the structures, interrupt utilities such as water and electricity, and even remove the buildings and materials at the residents’ expense.
Possible fines and evictions
Residents who do not adhere to the council’s order may also face financial penalties. The minimum fine has been set at €600, and repeat violations could lead to additional fines every ten days. The council has also requested that the residents restore the site to its original condition.
Confusion among residents
Osman, one of the residents notified by the council, expressed confusion and concern in Diario de Ibiza over the urban planning enforcement. He pointed out that the residents had built their homes out of necessity, using whatever materials they could find, and are not involved in formal construction projects. “They tell us that construction is prohibited as if we were developers, but people here are just building with pallets or whatever they can find. Nobody is hiring a company to build a house,” Osman explained.
Osman also admitted that he was unsure about the legal process and feared the possibility of being evicted once again. “Are they going to fine everyone who built their little home?” he wondered, adding that if evicted, he would likely just search for another plot of land to rebuild a similar shelter. “We have no other choice,” he lamented, highlighting the ongoing struggle of residents trying to find a place to live.
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