Alicante safeguards its protected buildings: facades cannot be altered

Alicante is set to protect its heritage buildings. A change in regulations approved this Tuesday by the Local Government Board will prevent the modification, let alone demolition, of the facades of buildings that are part of the city's heritage.

The City Council has made this decision after some recent construction works have resulted in the loss of certain historic buildings in Alicante, such as number 5 Doctor Gadea, which will become part of a 'flex living' block. In other cases, openings are made at street level or on the first floors for future businesses.

The interest in modifying entire blocks for tourist apartments or converting premises into businesses has highlighted the need to protect the city's architectural and urban heritage.

Therefore, the Alicante City Council is "taking another step in preserving the architectural and artistic heritage of the municipality," according to municipal sources. Specifically, to ensure the integrity of the facades of protected buildings.

Thus, buildings of patrimonial interest included in the Catalogues of Protected Goods and Spaces, whether approved or in process, will retain their facades intact. "A change of use can never involve modifications or demolitions of architectural elements of these facades," stated the Council.

This interpretative criterion indicates that "the original or primitive use of the building will prevail as the preferred use, with other uses permitted by planning being possible as long as they are compatible with the maintenance and conservation of the protected heritage."

Additionally, the approved criterion adds, "the implementation of uses different from the original ones of the building cannot involve, under any circumstances, the removal of architectural elements from the facades of protected buildings." This means that any use involving such practices "could not be authorized as the modification or demolition of the facade is expressly prohibited for buildings and properties subject to protection." The need for respect, conservation, and enhancement of any protected elements, considered as a general interest, will prevail.

When an interested party intends to carry out conservation, restoration, or rehabilitation works on a property that must respect the facade as listed in the catalogue, they must also submit a project that implicitly includes the obligation to maintain the referred configuration of the old construction.