Discounts in the Penalty System of the LUIB

February 21, 2018 - by Miguel Reus Méndez Land Use Planning, Urban Planning and Environmental Law

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The recently approved Urban Planning Law of the Balearic Islands (LUIB) aims to strengthen the scope of Urban Planning Controls by implementing new measures, such as the direct authority of the Consell Insular (Island council) (or indirectly through the Urban Planning Control Agency) on protected rural land, greater clarity when subrogating powers in relation to municipal inaction, a more dynamic system for granting authorisations to fulfil orders restoring legality and to facilitate and clarify the inspection works, among others.

Notwithstanding the measures and means developed by the law, it also provides for a different system of discounts on sanctions imposed due to the urban planning breaches that will be listed shortly. They aim to:

  • Reduce proceedings by voluntary acceptance of the facts.
  • Encourage voluntary legalisation acts.
  • Encourage voluntary acts for restoring legality.

In the first case there is a voluntary acknowledgement of responsibility and express waiver of any action or appeal against the sanction resulting in a discount of 20% on the total amount of the fine. If, in the above case, the acknowledgement is accompanied by a payment, the discount will be 40% so that only 60% of the relevant sanction is paid.

Regarding legalisation, the sanction will be reduced by 95% if the legalisation is applied for and obtained within the deadline granted by the Administration (2 months). The discount will be 80% if the legalisation is applied for once the aforementioned 2-month deadline has passed. If the altered physical reality is restored before the decision ordering it is adopted, the sanction will be reduced by 90%. If this restoration of reality takes place after the decision, but within the voluntary period, the reduction will be 80%.

The aim is for interested parties to voluntarily take action in order to adapt to the law, by benefiting from significant reductions to the relevant sanction.