To be honest I think alot of people have an investment in keeping quiet about this whole subject, including Spanish/Catalan people and British, are you talking about village or campo here? You can probably get away with more in the village because they want the houses done up and won't exactly ask you to demolish it! The vast majority of locals live in towns or villages not campo houses and are probably talking about urban property.

This is not a lie, there are people right now in Tarragona province who have been arrested and taken to a criminal ( not civil) court due to alleged illegal building. There are also people who have come to the end of any appeal process and are awaiting the enforced demolition of their rural properties, with all their money and labour, dreams, life, etc. tied up in it.

This is why I'm not prepared to keep quiet on the matter which is what many people out there would prefer. I no longer live there and I feel safe enough to tell the truth.
I want as many people as possible to know about this so that they are not duped into buying a piece of land, casita, almacen that they are told they can build on. Or to build an almacen and it will be ok to live in it. Or to buy a property that they think is legal but isn't because someone wants to cash in and get rid of their nightmare. It's not fair to do this folks. So stop swallowing all the bull. s.h.i.t and arm yourself with the facts. It could save you a lot of money, time, energy and your health and sanity!!