The Xabia General Town Plan - some definitions - Part 1
Roughly translated from Xabia al Dia Magazine with kind permission from the Author
In view of the forthcoming review of the General Town Plan not much is known of the terms and phrases of which we hear much in the coming months. Here are some definitions:
PGOU: Plan General de Ordenación Urbana – General Town Plan
The first General Plan was in 1965 and was pioneering among those of the Province. It determined that 1.84% of the land was urban, 45% was urbanisable land and the remaining 52% not urbanisable. It idea tried to give credence to a potential of growth of some 62,000 dwellings; which according to the occupational indices of the time( 3.5 persons per dwelling) would suppose some 218,000 inhabitants. A PGOU is not limited to the breadth of development, but also its characteristics. The PGOU specified the maximum height of building to be 5 floors, preventing Xàbia turning into a mini Benidorm.
The second PGOU dated from 1990: The figures were 28% Urban land; 22% urbanisable and 49% non-urbanisable. These aspired to a potential growth of 48,437 dwellings (at 3.15 persons per dwelling)leading to 153,000 inhabitants.
But we shouldn't be alarmed since these dwellings are only fully occupied during a few days in August. Even then, probably not entirely, since a figure of around 13% unoccupied has been reported by the INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadistica de España) for Xabia (although rubbish disposal and water bills give different data, that's to say 42,000 people in 33,000 properties).
U.A. Unidad de Actuación : Unit of Activity: A zone of generally urban ground, following the categories of the PGOU.
P.A.I.: Programa de Actuación Integrada: Programme of integrated activity: “Integrated Activity” is public urbanisation work (by private builders or the Administration) carried out on two or more plots of land, at a single time or in phases. (Thus a phased urbanisation is a single programme)
P.A.A. Or P.AAIS: Programa de Actuación Aislada: Programme of isolated activity. This refers to building on a single plot and its previous or simultaneous connection to the services and infrastructure.
The Plan foresees its execution via PAA in plots which do not need urbanisation works, because they already exist; unless this conflicts with the overall plan or are inadequate.
Solar: Plots. These are plots of urban land suitable for building which conform to the following requisites.
- That they are urbanised according to the norms of the Plan and if there are no norms:
- To have unpaved road access; water supply, drainage and electricity
- Paving of the road in front and sidewalks
- that they show alignments and grazing if a Plan of Ordination exists.
Classification of the Land:
Suelo Urbano: Urban land: The Plan classifies as urban land that which is anticipated to be developed preferredly by means of a PAA; that supplied totally or partially with services according to the criteria of the Planning Regulations of the Valencian Community; and those small urban elements or blocks where at least some of the plots are considered “solar” plots.
Exceptionally, the Plan will be able to classify as “urban”, land whose development will be by means of PAI in the following cases:
A) Land consolidated by urbanization, which already allows PAA, but which turns out to be better developed by PAI
B) Land consolidated by building and which is integrated into the Urban nucleus
The Plan further details land categories:
Suelo No Urbanizable: Non-Urbanisable land. That designated for rural, natural uses; because of the value and richness of the land or because of the presence of natural risks (e.g. erosion, flooding and other risks which recommend against its transformation) or because it is inadequate for urban development in conforming with the objectives and criteria established by the legislation on land-use planning (Valencian Law of non-urbanisable land).
One can only build on the minimum plot size in the case of “Suelo No Urbanizable Común” - “Non-urbanisable Common Land” .
One can distinguish:
Suelo No Urbanizable Común: Non urbanisable common land: This is agricultural land. Isolated dwellings are permitted on plots of a minumum of 10,000 square metres according to the Valencian law of Non-urbanisable land.
Suelo No Urbanizable Protegido: Protected non-urbanisable land: Building is not permitted. These are forestry lands, ecological landscapes, coasts or other types defined in the Valencian law of Non-urbanisable land. The Plan establishes the minimum guidelines of defense against urbanisation and building, and delimits zones of special protection.
Suelo Consolidado o Semiconsolidado: Consolidated or Semi-consolidated ground: Land is considered as "consolidated by construction" when more than 50 percent of the buildable land is occupied by construction according to Integrated Activity defined with requirements of the LRAU.
Sistema General: General System: Land destined to be used for collective and general purposes; i.e. those that support the town plan and overall urban development. e.g. The systems of connection (roads); those of parks and green zones, and of urban services and basic infrastructure; cultural and sport infrastructures, parking (private or public), etc.
Zones: Lands under the town-planning regime for which the General Plan regulates the conditions.
Plan Especial: Special Plan: A plan related to the General System e.g. (Following the 1990 PGOU) The Montgó Park, the esplanade of Montañar 1 and of the Barraca beach, and of the Granadella beach; or the drainage infrastructures of the Saladar, or the network of potable water and sewage system, or the establishment of a main carriageway for the municipality or road network.
Plan Parcial: Partial Plan: A PAI or PAAIS
....to be continued
In view of the forthcoming review of the General Town Plan not much is known of the terms and phrases of which we hear much in the coming months. Here are some definitions:
PGOU: Plan General de Ordenación Urbana – General Town Plan
The first General Plan was in 1965 and was pioneering among those of the Province. It determined that 1.84% of the land was urban, 45% was urbanisable land and the remaining 52% not urbanisable. It idea tried to give credence to a potential of growth of some 62,000 dwellings; which according to the occupational indices of the time( 3.5 persons per dwelling) would suppose some 218,000 inhabitants. A PGOU is not limited to the breadth of development, but also its characteristics. The PGOU specified the maximum height of building to be 5 floors, preventing Xàbia turning into a mini Benidorm.
The second PGOU dated from 1990: The figures were 28% Urban land; 22% urbanisable and 49% non-urbanisable. These aspired to a potential growth of 48,437 dwellings (at 3.15 persons per dwelling)leading to 153,000 inhabitants.
But we shouldn't be alarmed since these dwellings are only fully occupied during a few days in August. Even then, probably not entirely, since a figure of around 13% unoccupied has been reported by the INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadistica de España) for Xabia (although rubbish disposal and water bills give different data, that's to say 42,000 people in 33,000 properties).
U.A. Unidad de Actuación : Unit of Activity: A zone of generally urban ground, following the categories of the PGOU.
P.A.I.: Programa de Actuación Integrada: Programme of integrated activity: “Integrated Activity” is public urbanisation work (by private builders or the Administration) carried out on two or more plots of land, at a single time or in phases. (Thus a phased urbanisation is a single programme)
P.A.A. Or P.AAIS: Programa de Actuación Aislada: Programme of isolated activity. This refers to building on a single plot and its previous or simultaneous connection to the services and infrastructure.
The Plan foresees its execution via PAA in plots which do not need urbanisation works, because they already exist; unless this conflicts with the overall plan or are inadequate.
Solar: Plots. These are plots of urban land suitable for building which conform to the following requisites.
- That they are urbanised according to the norms of the Plan and if there are no norms:
- To have unpaved road access; water supply, drainage and electricity
- Paving of the road in front and sidewalks
- that they show alignments and grazing if a Plan of Ordination exists.
Classification of the Land:
Suelo Urbano: Urban land: The Plan classifies as urban land that which is anticipated to be developed preferredly by means of a PAA; that supplied totally or partially with services according to the criteria of the Planning Regulations of the Valencian Community; and those small urban elements or blocks where at least some of the plots are considered “solar” plots.
Exceptionally, the Plan will be able to classify as “urban”, land whose development will be by means of PAI in the following cases:
A) Land consolidated by urbanization, which already allows PAA, but which turns out to be better developed by PAI
B) Land consolidated by building and which is integrated into the Urban nucleus
The Plan further details land categories:
Suelo No Urbanizable: Non-Urbanisable land. That designated for rural, natural uses; because of the value and richness of the land or because of the presence of natural risks (e.g. erosion, flooding and other risks which recommend against its transformation) or because it is inadequate for urban development in conforming with the objectives and criteria established by the legislation on land-use planning (Valencian Law of non-urbanisable land).
One can only build on the minimum plot size in the case of “Suelo No Urbanizable Común” - “Non-urbanisable Common Land” .
One can distinguish:
Suelo No Urbanizable Común: Non urbanisable common land: This is agricultural land. Isolated dwellings are permitted on plots of a minumum of 10,000 square metres according to the Valencian law of Non-urbanisable land.
Suelo No Urbanizable Protegido: Protected non-urbanisable land: Building is not permitted. These are forestry lands, ecological landscapes, coasts or other types defined in the Valencian law of Non-urbanisable land. The Plan establishes the minimum guidelines of defense against urbanisation and building, and delimits zones of special protection.
Suelo Consolidado o Semiconsolidado: Consolidated or Semi-consolidated ground: Land is considered as "consolidated by construction" when more than 50 percent of the buildable land is occupied by construction according to Integrated Activity defined with requirements of the LRAU.
Sistema General: General System: Land destined to be used for collective and general purposes; i.e. those that support the town plan and overall urban development. e.g. The systems of connection (roads); those of parks and green zones, and of urban services and basic infrastructure; cultural and sport infrastructures, parking (private or public), etc.
Zones: Lands under the town-planning regime for which the General Plan regulates the conditions.
Plan Especial: Special Plan: A plan related to the General System e.g. (Following the 1990 PGOU) The Montgó Park, the esplanade of Montañar 1 and of the Barraca beach, and of the Granadella beach; or the drainage infrastructures of the Saladar, or the network of potable water and sewage system, or the establishment of a main carriageway for the municipality or road network.
Plan Parcial: Partial Plan: A PAI or PAAIS
....to be continued