Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Ertzaintza Searches Getxo Town Hall in Court-Ordered Probe of Protected Mansion Demolition

The operation seeks evidence for an inquiry into whether officials unlawfully enabled the full teardown of the locally protected Irurak Bat building.

Overview

  • Regional police conducted morning searches of Getxo’s urban planning offices on a judge’s orders and took several boxes of documents to a nearby station around 13:00.
  • The Tribunal of Instancia de Getxo is investigating the August 2024 total demolition of the 1845 Irurak Bat, which had local protection permitting only partial removal.
  • The inquiry examines potential prevarication by authorities and a possible offense against historical heritage linked to the building’s complete teardown.
  • Two PNV councillors are reported to have participated in the Ereaga Atalaya cooperative planning 12 luxury homes on the site, raising questions over conflicts of interest.
  • City officials say they are fully cooperating; the mayor maintains procedures were followed, and the municipality halted unauthorized work and later issued €50,000 in sanctions to the cooperative, builder, site director, and architect, as EH Bildu also highlighted a municipal report estimating a €730,000 saving from full demolition over partial rehabilitation.