Son Güells in Palma is where one of the unofficial settlements of motorhomes has been established. There are around forty vehicles on a site without facilities for this type of living. And for the people who live in the motorhomes, life is going to get harder. Mayor Jaime Martínez has vowed to solve the problem of these settlements. The principal solution is fines - up to 1,500 euros.
Living in a motorhome in Palma: "It'll only get worse"
Town hall fines will be up to 1,500 euros
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9 comments
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Its being portrayed below as an alternative to homelessness, that absolute nonsense. Most of the ones I see are hippies making a lifestyle choice. That's fair enough, but not on the streets. Make van parks for these people like space is found in the UK for travellers. Then come down hard on them if they stay on roads near beaches/residential areas for weeks on end.
The core problem here is the 'no competitors will be tolerated' stranglehold the Mallorcan hoteliers hold over the local government. Their corporate greed ensures any competition is quickly stifled. They view even motorhome campsites as being 'competition'. as a result there are exactly ZERO official campsites on the island. The solution is very, very simple. 99% of these people are honest and probably have a source of income. Choose one of any number of vacant plots of land near an industrial estate, e.g. Son Oms. All these folks need is a fresh water supply and a toilet water disposal tank. Charge them (say) 10€ a day to park. Problem solved. Bet you the hoteliers will STILL stifle it and as usual, the local government will fold in order to not upset their 'Masters'. NM
Send me your address and me and my chums will be round tout suite in our motor homes to park up in your street. Outside your place. We'll be neighbours, won't that be nice? Our black water and sewage will swill just fine down your gutter don't worry and all our rotting food and trash can be piled on the kerb for someone, anyone, to take away. Washing is mainly kerb-side and in the Summer we'll live outside sprawled on the street as it's hot in the van. We'll see a lot of each other. You're okay with all that I'm assuming? No. If the poor (defined as the hard done to people receiving averagely 600 Euros a month in State benefits) get a sniff that motor homes are the new Mallorcan favelas you'll have one on every street corner before you can say choza. Some will be driveable but others will be left to corrode and soon become immovable. Check with Venezuela how this all works and creeps like ivy. The solution is council owned and managed affordable block housing, out of town and on large estates along with reductions in benefits so there's an actual incentive to work.
I honestly do not understand how the government can do these things legally. If these mobile homes are paying there road taxes like any other vehicle, then they should have the right to park like any other vehicle. I still see café terraces taking up parking spaces that we paid for with our taxes. Is that legal?
Pathetic politicians who are either uncapable or unwilling to address the housing crisis. Here's an idea, convert the bullrings in Palma, Muro etc into affordable housing. How about asking the public if they'd prefer them used for housing or torturing animals!
Charles Dalrymple-ChumleySo where are they supposed to live on an ever more expensive place to live.
What a great idea. These people cannot afford housing so most of their assets are tied up in a motorhome. Why don't we impound their vehicles. Then they really will be homeless and poor. Then we can start looking for somewhere for them to live. Simples. True compassion Charlie boy. Anyone want to but a second hand van ?
Charles Dalrymple-ChumleyObviously the views of someone who splits their time between Mallorca and Barbados who has no idea of the plight of people less fortunate than you. So, your answer is to rob these people of the only shelter they have? You don’t offer a solution to where these people would live. I believe that council run sites would be a viable option to the situation. On what do you base your assumption that they will become ‘slum ghettoes’? We are not talking about creating another Son Banya. These are people who simply cannot afford to rent somewhere to live, they are not criminals. There are large number of working people in Mallorca and Ibiza, including police officers who, despite having a salary, simply cannot pay the exorbitant rents being charged so have no alternative but to sleep in a motorhome (if they’re lucky) or their car or a tent. I would be interested to hear what you would do with these unfortunate people – put them in a dinghy and push them out to sea?
Motor homes are not designed as long term housing and represent a health and safety issue and nuisance to local residents living in the streets near to where the vehicles park. If they are allowed to stay in designated parks the Council will end up with slum ghettoes around the city. Fines won't work as they are clearly very poor people. Confiscation and impounding of the vehicles being used as long stay housing may be the answer.