Sur in English reported on the decline in population in Andalucian towns, in particular among smaller municipalities further from the sea. The Junta has identified 426 municipalities that are suffering fin this way, representing some 54% of the total, affecting all provinces. Residents of such municipalities can take advantage of tax benefits specifically aimed at towns with 3,000 inhabitants or less, which reduce house purchase and property-related taxes, and which the Junta hopes will help to retain population.
The province with the highest percentage of municipalities in this situation, is Granada with 70% of its municipalities at risk of depopulation, followed by Almeria (67%) and Huelva (61%). Jaen came next with 58% followed by Malaga with 57%. Only Cordoba, Cadiz and Seville came in under 50%, with the latter at only 23%.
In addition, the Junta has identified 11 endangered areas of the region with constant loss of inhabitants, including the Sierras Occidentales here in Malaga province.
This story came in the week that news broke of the national government’s intention to implement a 100% tax on property purchases made by buyers from outside the EU (so including the British), in an attempt to better handle the country’s mounting housing crisis, by decreasing foreigner purchases. Clearly the people and houses are in the wrong places. Perhaps a more successful approach would be to incentivise non-EU purchasers to look more seriously at rural municipalities?
Read the full story in Sur, here.