Tall & Urban News

Spain will allegedly take legal action to block a major affordable housing scheme in Gibraltar, according to local media reports.

Spanish authorities say part of the plot for the planned homes has been “illegally reclaimed” despite it being on the shores of the British territory. The Hassan Centenary Terraces project is backed by Gibraltar’s government and would see 665 properties built across six new tower blocks. But Madrid claims the sea surrounding the Rock as its territorial waters.

The government in Madrid has declared it will consider challenging the development in the courts to “defend Spanish sovereignty.”

This latest spat between Spain and Britain over Gibraltar comes as Madrid continues in its attempts to assert its authority over the peninsula.

On Monday, a Spanish warship cruised close to the Rock with its weapons uncovered and manned before a small Royal Navy craft was dispatched.

Tensions over Gibraltar have risen again in recent weeks after MPs in Westminster demanded Theresa May reopen negotiations on her Brexit deal.

A separate section of the Withdrawal Agreement had been agreed to cover the overseas territory after Britain leaves the EU, which Spain eventually accepted after months of wrangling and threats from Madrid.

Which country controls the waters around Gibraltar has been the subject of a long and bitter row between the UK and Spain. Madrid maintains Gibraltar has no territorial waters other than its port. Britain argues it has sovereignty over a small area of sea surrounding the Rock.

The new development, planned for the northeast of the territory, would see 665 homes built in six towers reaching up to 33 stories.

Gibraltar’s chief minister Fabian Picardo has described the project as an “exciting time for Gibraltar” which would help “deliver affordable housing for our community.”

But Spain has already registered its opposition to the development.

A statement from officials in Madrid said: “Spanish authorities will continue gathering the information on this matter and will use the legal means at their disposal to try to prevent any type of construction or urban development in waters illegally reclaimed from the sea.”

The proposed development has also faced criticism from Gibraltar’s planning commission, which has reacted negatively to the latest designs.

The six tower blocks would be the tallest on the Rock, and concern has been expressed over their visual impact on the iconic landscape.

For more on this story visit Express.