AFOs

[Mike Town Hall]

  The original purpose of an AFO was to gain tittle deed to an illegally built house outside the urban areas, the cheap route of an AFO could be said to make it beneficial as costing far less than planning permission, architects drawings etc, therefore it could be said to encourage illegal building, It is clear that whilst the process of building illegally is financially beneficial it will be an attractive alternative, this said it is clear there needs some adjustment in costs to illuminate these benefits in the future.
   The AUAN and PP have now negotiated the application of these alternatives to First occupation in urbanizable areas bringing a fast route to gaining tittle deed to properties and land without waiting for a project of urbanization, which in many areas has not been started, although this is not the same as having first occupation as it states that the property is accepted as not fully legal, it will be a welcome move forward for many people in areas without urban projects in sight, finally giving them a short cut to gaining long awaited property deeds freeing them from the stress of having no ownership proof.
   In Arboleas we have a long running urban project, in some of the 21 areas we are at the point of Parcelization (second stage of PERI) where land deeds get issued, this is the point where land is seeded to the town hall and urban costs are meet, the final stage is where any missing urban infrastructure is put in place with funds arranged in the previous stage and the land is made fully urban consolidated (in a town hall pleno) and first occupation licences can be issued, this certificate states the property is fully legal and fit to live in, this certificate can then be used to gain deeds to the house giving the owner tittle deed to a fully legal house and land.
   We now have in Arboleas the ability to short cut this process with an AFO bringing joy to many that do not want to wait for the urban process to take its course. The big question is will the PERIs continue? the PERIs will continue and once these projects are fully approved the houses with AFOs will be able to apply for first occupation licences making their houses fully legal so everyone is a winner.
   We can all see now the benefits of being able to have an AFO, there appears to be no downside, however the builders can also see these benefits, as I have explained in stage two of the PERI the land is seeded and costs are met, these include removing embargoes and settling payments where land has not been paid for etc to enable ownership with no underlying problems. This makes for an interesting short cut for builders, some of  whom are already reluctant participants in the legal process, some are already petitioning their clients to go down the AFO route.
    Conclusion is the benefit of having the availability of an AFO is likely to create further delays in the legal process as not only owners opt for this less complicated short cut, but builders too, as much as owners want a quick solution so do builders freeing them from responsibility, so now I hope we have a better understanding of the downside. 

                             Regards Mike.