Villena Prohibits Balcony Access Following Rain-Induced Damage

The recent rains in the province of Alicante have caused significant damage, such as the detachment of balconies from a building located on San Martín de Porres Street in the municipality of Villena. The deterioration of the homes and the heavy rainfall have led to this situation.

The Villena Town Hall, through the Urban Planning Department, has established preventive and safety measures to prevent further damage, both personal and material. Consequently, residents of the building are prohibited from using their balconies. Additionally, the Town Hall has cordoned off the public road to prevent pedestrian traffic and vehicle parking in the area.

This measure was taken following technical reports and a meeting held in January with property owners who alerted about the deteriorating condition of these structures, accelerated by recent detachments caused by heavy rain episodes.

The Urban Planning Department informed property owners, whose homes are over 50 years old, of the need to undertake safety renovations. Following these incidents, it requires property communities to take measures and carry out necessary repairs.

The Urban Planning Councillor, Francisco Iniesta, explained that "the proposed measures aim to protect people, both those living in these apartments and passersby, from potential new detachments." The councillor also clarified that the responsibility for the building's condition lies with each property owner but expressed his willingness to collaborate with them in finding solutions.

The resolution from Villena's Urban Planning Department urges property owners "to act as soon as possible, given the urgent nature due to possible falling elements onto public roads, ensuring that all property communities where there is a risk of detachment undertake necessary work to secure the area by removing any elements likely to fall and installing safety or support structures if needed."

Additionally, it mandates that technical reports be conducted by the property community to "determine the causes of structural issues and how to address them through repair, reinforcement, or replacement."

Therefore, the Resolution stipulates that "since these buildings are over fifty years old, communities that do not yet have it must obtain a Certificate verifying the Building Evaluation Report as required by current regulations, which reviews the building to establish necessary maintenance work for safety, functionality, and habitability based on the urban planning status of the property."