Spanish government to approve expropriation and demolition of controversial 422-room El Algarrobico hotel
The Spanish government is to declare that the land on which the illegal El Algarrobico hotel stands in Almeria province as land of public utility on Tuesday 11 February. It is a declaration that will allow the institutions to expropriate the land and take measures to demolish the building, which has 21 floors and 422 rooms.
This was announced on Monday 10 February by the minister of finance, María Jesús Montero, during a visit to the site.
"It is something that should have happened a long time ago. For the Spanish government, it means putting an end to the greatest environmental attack that the natural park has ever suffered," the minister said, adding, "The illegal hotel is still standing and has become the symbol of real estate depredation."
The meeting of the cabinet is going to agree on the public utility of the plots of land on which this illegal hotel was built. "The agreement of the council of ministers aims to proceed with the expropriation of the land on which this building was built. This is precisely the administrative step prior to demolition and environmental restoration," Montero said.