A long-time Costa del Sol expat has warned that Spain’s drive for development is coming at the expense of the people who already live there, with older residents facing growing problems with traffic, housing costs and access to everyday services.

Steve Marshall, who moved to Spain with his family almost 30 years ago, says the promise of a better quality of life was a major reason for making the move. However, he believes the balance between development and residents’ needs has changed dramatically.

“When our family moved to Spain almost 30 years ago it was for a better quality of life,” Steve said. “There was a balance between achieving that goal and the need for development and growth.” He now fears that balance has been lost, with building projects taking priority over the infrastructure needed to support growing communities.

Steve Marshall questions the cost of development

“It appears that the authorities are hell-bent at building on every available piece of land with no obvious thought given to the necessary infrastructure,” he said. Steve believes new homes and other developments must be matched by investment in the services residents need to live safely and comfortably.

“By infrastructure I include such things as roads, parking facilities, water, sewage treatment, hospitals, doctors, nurses and police who are just part of the core infrastructure that should go with development,” he said.

He argues that the effects are already being felt in everyday life, particularly by older people who may find it more difficult to negotiate crowded streets or cope with heavier traffic. “Navigating building sites that spill out onto pavements is difficult and dangerous,” Steve said. “The massive increase in traffic makes it equally demanding for older residents.”

For people who depend on their cars because public transport is unavailable locally, he believes the situation is particularly worrying. “For those who want to use their car (because there is no local bus service) they now do so with unacceptable risk,” he said.

Older residents face rising housing costs

Steve accepts that development has an important role to play in Spain’s economy, creating jobs and bringing new opportunities. His objection is to growth that fails to take account of the people already living in an area. “There will always be the need for development,” he said. “It brings with it job creation and ‘progress’ but it should not be at the expense of a quality of life that we are all entitled to.”

He also believes local authorities have a responsibility to put the needs of their communities at the centre of planning decisions. “The role of the authorities is to serve their community,” he said. “That cornerstone of democracy does not appear to be at the forefront of their thinking these days.”

Housing affordability is another major concern for Steve, particularly for older residents living on fixed incomes. “As home prices rise so does the cost of renting,” he said. He claims that monthly rental payments can now exceed the pensions of some older residents who have built their lives in Spain. He also points to what he describes as excessively high deposits, which can make finding a new home even more difficult. “For some of our older neighbours they are faced with the previously unthinkable option of returning to the UK as owning/renting becomes unaffordable in Spain,” he said.

Steve calls for town halls to listen

Steve believes town halls and planning departments need to consider the impact of proposed developments on existing residents, rather than concentrating solely on construction and economic growth. He says he raised his concerns with his local Foreign Residents Department and was invited to put them in writing to the Planning Department. However, he says he was given a caveat that the department was under “no obligation to respond”.

For Steve, that experience raises a wider question about how much influence established residents have over decisions that directly affect their lives. His message is not that Spain should stop developing, but that growth should bring improvements for the people who already call the country home. As he put it: “It should not be at the expense of a quality of life that we are all entitled to.”