1. How much can I extend on a building? If the property in question has been built legally with permits, an extension permit can usually be obtained. You may be allowed to enlarge for an extra bedroom, bathroom, garage and covered porches.

2. How do I apply for a building permission? Building permits can be applied for in the local Town Hall (Departamento de Urbanismo). But don't be in too much of a hurry, because it can take upto 6 months or more to obtain.

3. How much land I need to be able to build a house? Nowadays, the minimum amount required by the Law for building a conventional type of house depends upon the type of land you purchase. If you have a "wetland" (tierra de regadío) you will need a minimum of 10,000 sq.m. of land (2,4 acres). If you have a "dry land" (tierra de secano) you will need a minimum of 44.000 sq.m. (11 acres).
But this can vary between different Town Hall Authorities. Some may authorize a rebuilding project if there is an existing ruin on the land, even if the land is smaller that the estipulated by the Law.

4. Does the "Land Grab" affect Tortosa and surrounding areas, as it does iin Valencia? Along the coast there is always possibilities of development. There is a risk of compulsary purchase orders. In the countryside there is less possibility of this happening as it is classed "Rustic Area". The best way is to enquire in the local Town Hall in the Planning Department for Long Term Projects, so you are ensured that there will be no road crossing your property or undergoing a major development in your land.

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LOCATION AND DIRECTIONS

1. How far is the beach from Tortosa? And the mountains? Tortosa has a priviledged position regarding communications. It is only 20 minutes drive to the nearest beach, which is on the north side of the Delta, of Ampolla. The same time you will need to arrive at the Ports of Beseit mountains. There is a tarmac road that will take you to the top, from where you will have a panoramic view of the Ebro Valley and Delta scenery. Some say that in the very clear days you can even sea some of the Balearic Islands.

2. How far is it from Reus Airport? And Barcelona Airport? It is a 45 minute drive from Reus Airport to Tortosa by motorway, and a 90 minute drive from Barcelona Airport.

3. How do I get to Tortosa? If you come by car you may want to go on the motorway A-7 (renamed as AP-7), you must turn off on Exit 40 for Tortosa - L'Aldea. If you come by train, you can get on at Barcelona Sants Train Station that will then take you to Tortosa Station, which is the last stop of the journey. If you arrive at Reus Airport and want to come by train, you can either get it at Tarragona Train Station or at Salou Train Station. The trains that usually arrive at Tortosa are the RENFE Train Company.

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PROPERTY SERVICES

1. How do I go about for the mains electric connection? The main factor is to look it there is an Electrical Transformer within a radious of 600 meters. We advise to apply for an estimate from the local Electricity Board (FECSA)

2. How do I go about for the water supply connection? In the case of not having water supply on your property these are the following options:

a) connecting to an existing communal well. The cost depends upon the length of the pipeline to arrive at the communal well.
b) make your own well (pozo) with a reputable well borer (pocero). You would need to apply for a permission to the Catalan Water Board to bore a well. The costs depend on the diameter of the hole.
c) water deposit tanks. If you don't have any available wells to connect to, there are water suppliers who will deliver water for you by lorry, usually the minimum is 12,000 liters.

3. What annual costs should I pay as owner of property? The local rates for a country property can be amazingly low. It may be the equivalent of an evening meal out for four between 30 to 60 euros. Some rustic properties are even exempt from the local rates. Here you are not paying for suage rates as you may have your own septic tank; streelighting, there probably isn't any; dustbin collection, you may have to drive half a kilometer to tip your rubish; and the access may be a country track, so theses are the reasons for the low country rates.
In the residential areas and urbanizations they can range between 200 to 300 euros depending on the area and services.

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CULTURAL

1. What language do they speak in Tortosa and surrounding villages? Tortosa is in the region of Catalunya, and they speak catalan. This is a language that has its own dictionary, grammar structure and cultural history. Nevertheless, they understand perfectly castillian.
The main differences between both languages are the words they use and the accent, but I can tell you that there are more words common to both languages than different. If you understand castillian, you have 3/4 of the way in understanding catalan.

2. Which is the principal language they teach in schools of Tortosa? Mainly, catalan but they do some subjects in castillian. For children it is always more easy to learn a new language. For adults, you can find courses on spanish for foreigners.

3. What sort of activities you can do in the area? Due to the features of this area you have a varied range of activities to do: fishing, birdwatching, canoeing, rockclimbing and walking, wind-surfing, kite-surfing, scuba-diving, cycling, hunting, shooting-club, squash, tennis, gums, martial arts, golf, to name a few.

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OTHER

1. Do you arrange accomodation in the area? We will arrange accomodation for you in B&B's or hotel.

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