Jan's Update

ANOTHER LAND STUDY It has been revealed that in the ten years between 1990 and 2000, buildings increased in the Valencian Community by 48.98%, resulting in 20,879 hectares of agricultural land and 9,376 hectares of woodland being lost as a result. Whilst the population only marginally increased, the building figure puts the Valencian Community doubles the Spanish national average for the same period of time. These figures were disclosed yesterday by the Corinne Land Cover report for the European Union, and are the result of extensive study of high-resolution photographs taken of the Community from satellites. Nationally, the leader in the building explosion is Murcia - with 52%, Navarre with 50.3% and Madrid with 49.2%, whilst Alicante leads the three provinces of the Community with a 62% increase in building over ten years, followed by Castellon (58.7%) and Valencia with 34%. It was also revealed yesterday that the Conseller for the Territory, Rafael Blasco, has reached an agreement with various town halls in Alicante Province for the creation of protected housing in the municipalities. The towns involved are: Alicante - where 1,156 homes will be created on 321,835 square metres San Vicente del Raspeig where 357 homes will be built on 58,605 square metres El Campello (157 homes on 44,560 sq m) San Juan (618 homes on 201,965 Sq m) - as well as a second programme involving San Juan that will envisage 3,888 new homes on 1,671,386 Sq m; Callosa de Segura (357 homes on 119,000 sq m)Elche (2,020 homes on 980,459 Sq m) Alcoy (122 homes on 13,439 Sq m) Aspe (606 homes on 139,790 Sq m) Petrer (482 homes on 221,203 Sq m) andMutxamiel with 96 home to be built on 74,200 square metres.