Andorra Social Democrat leader proposes transferring building rights in heritage zones
Property owners in Andorra's heritage protection zones could transfer building rights to other land they own, according to Social Democrat leader Susanna Vela. She urges the government to study this to balance preservation and owner rights without expropriation.
Key Points
- Susanna Vela suggests owners shift building capacity from restricted heritage land to other owned plots.
- Mechanism addresses limits where no construction is possible on protected sites.
- Rejects expropriation claims, urges study of feasible option.
- Cites draft Sant Joan de Caselles zone in Canillo; calls for stronger heritage protections.
Susanna Vela, leader of the Social Democrat parliamentary group, has proposed that property owners in Andorra's heritage protection zones be allowed to transfer building rights from restricted land to other plots they own.
In comments to the Andorran News Agency (ANA), Vela said the government should consider this option, which she first suggested during her time as a minister. Owners unable to build on protected land due to restrictions could move the designated building capacity to another property in their ownership where development is still possible.
The mechanism would address cases where owners face severe limits on their construction rights, Vela said. "There will be people who cannot do anything" on affected land, she noted, adding that the administration could respond by applying those rights elsewhere: "You may not be able to do that here, but we can give you that building capacity on another site where you also own land."
Vela called the approach feasible and ready for study, particularly when no actions are possible on the restricted plot. She rejected claims that establishing protection zones equates to expropriation, insisting the government sets criteria for modifying existing structures or approving new builds, without seizing property.
She cited the draft protection zone around the Sant Joan de Caselles site in Canillo, covering roughly 260,000 square metres and not yet approved. Owners have two months to file objections, after which they can use legal procedures or appeal to the courts if they feel their rights are violated.
Vela faulted the existing legal framework for failing to adequately protect property owners. She warned against diluting safeguards in the government's planned Heritage Law overhaul and called for reinstating 100-metre precautionary zones along with greater central government control over heritage preservation.
Parishes should assist, she said, but cultural heritage must outweigh urban development pressures.
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