More red tape for holiday flats

New administrative impediments have arisen regarding the legalising of flats let for tourism purposes in Pollensa and Mayor Francisca Ramon says that what the law is asking is “impossible.” The Balearic tourism ministry has started to send out the long awaited licences to the owners of flats let for holiday purposes in the municipality of Pollensa, but what at first seemed to signify the end to a year of red tape has simply served to reveal even more impediments. Mayor Francisca Ramon has confirmed that the permits have as a condition that the owners should present an activities licence, without which the ministry's permit is not valid. The problem lies in the fact that the Pollensa council does not have the power to issue these activities licences to living accommodation built in rustic land. The Mayor said it was impossible and said that a meeting would be called for all sides in an effort to find a solution to the situation. There are more than 1'000 holiday flats in Pollensa waiting for a permit from the tourism ministry so that they can operate legally next season. It is calculated that about 1'500 chalets had been operating in the municipality for years, but the new general law on tourism, approved by the Matas government, left approximately 400 owners unable to continue with this activity.