Music man's home bulldozed

Musician and record producer Michael Cretu is seeking £15.8 million damages from the Spanish authorities after they demolished his property on the popular holiday islands of Ibiza...

The bulldozers moved in earlier this month after officials at the San Anotnio town hall confirmed that the luxury villa had been built without planning permission.

The 3,000 square metre Moroccan style mansion took nine years to build and includes a state of the art recording studio. The Spanish Supreme Court ruled in 2003 that it was built illegally in an area of maximum environmental protection with an illegal building licence.

Not only had it been built without before permission was granted but it was also bigger than the permission that was eventually granted. Judges ordered that it should be demolished but locally officials did nothing. Twice the town hall was fined for not carrying out the demolition order.

Cretu, a Rumanian-born French pop musician and producer, best known as the creator of the Enigma project and a producer of some of Mike Oldfield's songs, battled to prevent the demolition.

Green activist groups who campaigned in favour of the demolition welcomed the arrival of the bulldozers. 'This is a historic decision. The owner was warned about the illegality,' said Green activist Neus Prats. But some locals are not happy and have criticised the £309,000 cost of demolition.

Cretu's lawyer suggested that the property was only demolished because his client was a foreigner and a celebrity. He confirmed that Cretu is now seeking damages of £15.8 million.

Source: www.propertywire.com