By Richard Torné
A disgraced former town hall architect and Zurgena council have been ordered to pay more than €645,000 in compensation to seven British couples who were duped into buying illegal homes.
A total of 94 properties were partly built in the district of Los Cabreras before construction work was halted on the orders of a judge in July 2006.
Expats were hit hard as many had paid a €3,000-deposit as well as a sum towards the purchase of a property, amounting to between €57,000 and €104,000.
The judgement by the Audiencia Provincial court, which was made public last week, upheld an appeal by the victims’ lawyers after an earlier sentence absolved the accused.
