THOUSANDS OF British property buyers, who have homes in the up-market Spanish resort of Marbella, are facing having their homes demolished, after officials uncovered a one billion euro scam.
The city’s mayor, councillors, developers, notaries, lawyers and businessmen are among the 23 people arrested in connection with an alleged racket, which led to around 30,000 illegal buildings being erected in Marbella in the past decade. Now, 4,500 people face court decisions as to whether their homes will be demolished, depending on whether they were constructed too close to the sea, on public parkland or in a green belt.
Rising demand among Britons for second and retirement homes in Spain has helped to fuel an epidemic of illegal construction on the coast.
