Dear all

We are looking for a country property (non urbanised) in the Valencia region - particularly in the Ontinyent area and in the Safor Valley areas.

We are seeing country properties without pools and are being told (or assuming) that the house is on rustic land. We would like to build a pool - not an above ground version - but are reading conflicting information on the restrictions.

On the one hand, we are reading that there is a decree that says no pool can be installed on a house which is build on 'rustic land'. Some people are putting in an above ground, padding pool type and saying it's a water deposit with leisure usage.

We are also seeing some country properties which do have pools and are wondering how they got their licenses?

On the other hand, a couple of estate agents are saying that people put pools in on country, rustic properties without licenses and don't have any problems from town halls.

I wonder what everyone's view on the rules are or if there's a definitive answer?

We are tying to do everything above board as it would be Sod's Law that our pool would be the one that the town hall ask us to fill in!

Any help very much welcomed.

It will differ from town hall to town hall - they all seem to have different interpretations of the basic rules.

One option if it is on non urban land is to apply for a licence for a water deposito for water storage with the additional use for recreational purposes. You might get away with that. We have a 60m2 pool that was built when we built our house on non urban land and that is how it was described in the planning application. It also keeps the local taxes down as it is not strictly part of the building for tax purposes. We also have a 300m3 covered water deposito.

Thanks Fred.

Makes it very difficult to buy a house without a pool and take the chance that we may get the permission.

Is your pool an 'above ground' one - hence the water deposit?

Regards

No, it's a bit big for an above ground pool. It's a normal concrete walled tiled pool. It holds about 100m3.

I live in Ontinyent and can confirm that, I suspect, most rural properties that have pools are doing so illegally.

My first suggestion would be to check that the said property is actually on rural land. A lot of the properties in the campo (like ours) is actually classified as urban.

You can do this by checking the cadastral listing on line or your agent SHOULD provide you with the necessary paperwork.

Try Loshildickos Inmobiliaria. - an English agent in town.

Over here, properties classed as "rustic" require 14000 square meters of plot to build a pool or other "living spaces" beyond the original build permit. New buildings have a limit on the overall size of "living space", which can include a pool. One way some get around it is to build a "cistern" instead, which is technically identical, but declared purpose is to hold water for consumption.

Properties classed as "urban" are not subject to this rule, but are subject to the rules of the local community, which vary substantially from town to town, but generally, it's much easier to get a permit to build a pool on an "urban" property, even if you have a small plot.