How to find out about planned construction near an address

Terms used

• Referencia catastral — The referencia catastral is the number that identifies a property parcel in the land registry.
• IBI — The IBI is the yearly local property tax paid by the owner.
• PGOU — The PGOU is a town's general urban plan, which sets zoning, heights and permitted uses.
• Nota simple — The nota simple is a short extract from the property register showing the owner and any charges or easements.
• Cédula urbanística — The cédula urbanística is a council certificate of the zoning, height and use allowed on a plot.
• Informe urbanístico — The informe urbanístico is a council report on what planning rules allow on a given plot.

Key rules

• View rights: You have no general right to keep a view; neighbours and the council can build what the plan allows.
• Where to look: The town's urban plan and licence records show what can be built nearby and what is already planned.
• Protection: Only a registered easement, community or private rules, or heritage and landscape rules can protect a view.
• Formal proof: A cédula urbanística or informe urbanístico is the formal council answer, and it costs a fee.

The short answer

Planned construction and view loss can be checked in the town's planning map and in its licence records. Spanish law generally does not give you a right to keep a view. A neighbour or the council may build up to what the planning rules allow, even if that blocks your view. So check the rules for the neighbouring plots before you commit.

Step 1: Get the property's referencia catastral

The referencia catastral is the number that identifies the parcel. You find it on the IBI receipt or on the Catastro website. Ask the owner or agent for it. Use it, or the street address, in the searches below.

Step 2: Look up the urban plan

Each town has a Plan General de Ordenación Urbana (PGOU), or an equivalent plan. You can see it in three places:

• The council website, in the urbanismo section, usually through a map viewer.
• The town hall's urbanismo office. Visits are often by appointment and free.
• Regional planning viewers and the official bulletin (the BOP or the regional boletín), where plans are published. A national viewer also gathers regional map layers.

Search the address or the referencia catastral. Then check three things for the plots around it:

• The zoning (calificación).
• The maximum height allowed.
• The use allowed.

Empty plots zoned for building are the main risk to a view. Also look for planned developments: planes parciales, estudios de detalle, and plan changes open to public consultation.

Tools differ by region and by town size. Small towns may have only a paper plan at the town hall.

Step 3: Find licences and works

Use these routes, from quickest to slowest:

1. Site signs. A licence notice must be displayed on the site, and large works carry a licence panel.
2. The council's urbanismo department or online portal. Some cities publish licences granted or applied for (licencias de obras and declaraciones responsables).
3. Public-information notices. Larger projects are advertised for a set period on the council's tablón de anuncios and in the official bulletin.
4. A formal request for public information. Send it through the council's transparency portal. You can also use the right of access to environmental information. Councils answer within a month. Some ask you to show a legitimate interest before they show a full file.
5. Local news and architects' association records, which cover some projects.

Online registers vary a lot between councils, so ask the urbanismo office what is published.

Step 4: Check whether your view is legally protected

A view is protected only in a few cases:

• A registered easement of view or of no-building (servidumbre de vistas or non aedificandi). The nota simple from the Registro de la Propiedad shows it.
• Rules in the community statutes or a private agreement.
• Minimum distances and light rules for windows and views onto neighbouring land. These come from the Civil Code and regional civil law, which differ in places such as Catalonia and Navarra.
• Heritage or landscape protection, or planning rules that set heights or protected view corridors.

When you need a formal certificate

If a lot depends on the answer, ask the council for a cédula urbanística or an informe urbanístico. This is a formal certificate of what can be built on a plot. It costs a fee. The documents list below shows what to bring.

If you are buying, ask for this certificate on any empty plot next to the property before you sign. If you are renting, check the plan and look for licence signs nearby, since a short lease rarely justifies a certificate.

Documents you need

• Cédula urbanística or informe urbanístico: a formal certificate of the zoning, height and use allowed on a plot. Request it from the town hall for a fee. It is optional, but useful if you want an official answer.

• Referencia catastral (cadastral reference) of the property: the number that identifies the parcel. Find it on the IBI receipt or on the Catastro website, and use it to search the town's plan viewer.

Frequently asked questions

Does Spanish law protect my view from being built over?

Generally no, Spanish law does not give you a right to keep a view, so a neighbour or the council can build up to what the planning rules allow. There are exceptions: a registered easement of view or of no-building (servidumbre de vistas or non aedificandi), community statutes or a private covenant, and heritage or landscape protections. Ask the Registro de la Propiedad for a nota simple to see any easements.

How do I check whether an empty plot next door can be built on?

Look up the plot's zoning in the town's urban plan (PGOU) to see its height limit and buildability. Search by address or by the cadastral reference (referencia catastral), which is on the IBI receipt (the yearly property tax bill).

How long does a council take to answer a request for information about a building licence?

A council has a month to answer a request made under the transparency law, through its transparency portal. Some councils ask you to show a legitimate interest before they show a full file. Before that, check the licence sign on the site and the council notice board.