Judge rules out demolition of family’s home

A MONDA family with seven children, five of whom still live at home, has won a three-year legal battle to stop their home being knocked down.
The father, Jose Maria Gonzalez, confirmed that a court sentence has annulled two council reports criticising his Vida en Familia (Family Life) project, which planned to create a farm school on land in Sierra Alpujata where the family lives.
The family was facing a €325,250 fine and demolitions for what the council deemed to be a serious offence against town planning regulations. Although Gonzalez insisted he had building permits, a municipal technician’s report brought up queries about the project.
“The report wasn’t right, it said I had built myself a luxury home and made me look like a real estate speculator,” the father said.
The project included four bungalows (two of which the family is living in), a bathroom unit, stables and a kindergarten. The family was informed of the fine and demolition plans in 2012, and spent the following year negotiating with the town hall.
In February 2014, after the council insisted on its intention to go ahead, they took the matter to court and collected signatures of support – and can finally sleep at night thanks to the judge’s decision in their favour.